


Mike + The Harmony

by Sauffie



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Bottom Harvey, Fluff and Smut, Lots of musical references, M/M, Musician!Mike, Sweet and shy Harvey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-11
Updated: 2014-11-19
Packaged: 2018-02-17 00:02:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 97,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2289566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sauffie/pseuds/Sauffie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harvey Specter has never heard of this new hip band when Donna forces him to go to their concert with her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Jalopy

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, new fanfic :D  
> Got the idea from a song I had not heard in a long time and which popped up on the radio the other day.  
> Characters and tags will be added as the story progresses.  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea where this is heading but I hope this first chapter makes you want more !  
> I have added a link to the song in the text of you'd like to take a listen (you won't regret it !!).  
> Still unbeta'd, still french, I hope it's not too bad.  
> Thank you for reading :)

“You’ve got to be kidding me, Harvey !”, Donna mocked. “You’ve really never heard of Mike and the Harmony ?”

Harvey rolled his eyes. Donna had a habit of taking every opportunity she could to make fun of him and it often involved his taste in music or men, he respectively liked vintage and very young.

“They’re the next big thing, you know.”, she added, waving a couple of tickets inches away from Harvey’s frowning face. “Come on ! I fought tooth and nail to get those.”

“Who were you supposed to go with ?”, he asked, undisturbed.

“Well, Rachel is a huge fan, but she and Logan have left for a surprise weekend in Louisiana.”, she smiled.

“Why me ?”, Harvey asked, trying his hardest not to whine.

“Are you telling me you have better plans for tonight ?”

“Answering a question with a question.”, Harvey sighed. “I don’t have anything planned, _yet_ , but it doesn’t mean I have to go to your stupid concert.”

Donna sighed loudly and put her hands on her hips.

“Fine.”, Harvey held up a hand in defeat. “I’ll go. If it sucks you’re buying dinner.”

"It won't suck, trust me. Besides, Mike is a total eye-candy so if you really can't stand the music, put your hands over your ears and watch.", Donna grinned and folded the two tickets into her designer dress pocket. 

She had come prepared to blackmail him with a couple of really embarrassing pictures and though she’d have loved to flaunt them under his nose with a sadistic smile, she was relieved he had caved in so quickly. She still had to go buy a new pair of pumps and the concert was only a few hours away.

“You’re definitely buying dinner.”, she said, patting her pocket. 

"Where is it ?"

"Brooklyn.", she almost whispered.

She had wished he wouldn't ask but was glad he did after he had agreed to go.

Harvey rolled his eyes again.

  
Donna had already picked the pair she wanted on the online Louboutin’s store so she was out of the prestigious boutique on Horatio Street almost as soon as she came in. Which left just enough time for her to visit her sister who ran a hair salon on 5th.  
She had been a fan of Mike and the Harmony since the first time she had heard their song Chicago on the radio and was really looking forward to their show. And you never knew when or where you'd meet the man of your dreams.

 

Harvey arrived at the location following Donna’s instruction at 7. The street was swamped with people and a dozen security men with folded arms and serious looks were blocking the way to The Jalopy entrance.

Harvey checked his watch and sighed. What had he gotten himself into ?

“Harvey !”, he heard someone call.

He turned his head and saw Donna who was waving at him. She whispered something to one of the security men who motioned for Harvey to approach as he opened the retractable barrier.

The Jalopy was a really small venue. With its walls showcasing old instruments and couches that looked a hundred years old yet extremely comfortable, the place reminded Harvey of the bars he used to go see his Dad play. At the far end of the room was the stage, framed by heavy red velvet curtains. It was still empty but there were bottles of water and a couple of instruments placed in half-circle around the microphone stand. Facing the stage were about 50 chairs neatly organized into rows. A couple of people were already seated while others were ordering beers from the bar. 

"Here.", Donna said, handing Harvey a huge brimful plastic cup. "Come on, the best seats are still available !", she grabbed his wrist and dragged him to the front raw.

"The front raw, really ?", Harvey complained. "You're such a fangirl."

Donna grinned and sat down.

 

20 minutes later, the first musicians started taking their positions on the stage and the lights went dim. 

A young woman with endless wavy blond hair took a seat behind the drum set while a dark hair man grabbed a guitar and waved at the audience with a broad smile. Another young blond woman holding a violin entered the stage and bowed down before walking to the back of the stage to stand behind a microphone. Other musicians stepped on the stage and sat down on chairs forming a small orchestra in the right corner of the stage.

Finally, and judging by the increased level of cheering, the frontman, Mike, appeared.

Harvey raised an eyebrow. Donna was right, he was handsome. Tall and slender with pretty soft features, just like Harvey liked them. He was wearing tight grey jeans and a white v-neck, and what Harvey recognized as a piccolo trumpet was hanging off his shoulder. His blond hair was sticking up all over the place and he had a [neatly folded American-flag bandana](http://www.universityobserver.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Patrick-J.-Adams.jpg) around his forehead.

"He's perfect, right ?", Donna whispered, nudging Harvey.

Mike cleared this throat and took the microphone in one hand.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen.", he said, extending his free arm in a welcoming gesture. He had the most gorgeous and genuine smile Harvey had ever seen. “Thank you so much for coming tonight. You know we're Canadians but New York has been our second home this past year and it feels great to finally get to play here. And look at this place !”, he said, waiving around him. “It’s amazing ! We're going to start with our latest song. I wrote this when I was 19 and travelling a lot. I did this big road trip throughout the US with a friend of mine and discovered what it felt like to be _free_.", he smiled broadly, giving the nod at the dark-haired guitarist who moved to a small keyboard. "Anyway, it's called [Chicago](http://youtu.be/c_-cUdmdWgU)."

The first keys were hit and suddenly all the instruments started playing all together producing a beautiful melody. Mike closed his eyes, both hands resting on the microphone in front of him.

As quickly as they had started playing, all instruments went silent and the young man started singing, his eyes still closed.

" _I fell in love again, all things go, all things go. Drove to Chicago, all things know, all things know."_

His voice was soft and assured, almost soothing. It echoed inside the small room and against the thick curtains, creating a very intimate atmosphere, like he was singing right in everyone’s ear.

" _I drove to New York in a van with my friend. We slept in parking lots, I don't mind, I don't mind._ "

Suddenly Mike opened his eyes and grabbed his trumpet. Gazing ahead, he placed his lips on the mouthpiece and started blowing.

A shiver ran down Harvey’s spine when he heard the familiar sound. His Dad used to play the trumpet and the saxophone and Harvey would spend hours watching him create music.

For the next chorus, Mike picked up a tambourine from the floor.

He looked possessed by the music, possessed by the words pouring from his mouth and he played and sang with his blue eyes wide open, his gaze lost ahead of him as if he was alone in the room.

Harvey was hypnotized.

When the song was over, Mike seemed to come back to reality. He picked a traverse flute from a stand at the far end of the stage and stood back behind the microphone.

“Thank you.”, he grinned, bowing his head until the clapping stopped. “This next song is about falling in love. Our first song was about feeling free and this one is about feeling imprisoned. As romantic as love may sound to many of you, and I can see a lot a beautiful couples tonight, it feels like a prison to me, like someone ties up your hand in your back and expects you carry on with your life.”, he continued, his fingers brushing the silver flute absentmindedly. “I have been in love…”, he smiled shyly. “Anyway, before we start, I’d like to introduce you to the rest of the band real quickly.”

Mike took the microphone off its stand and started walking around the stage.

“This is Jenny.”, he said, highfiving the blond drummer. “We’ve been friends for our entire life. She plays the drums, obviously, but she also helps me write the melodies. I’d like a round of applause for Jenny, please.”

The small crowd cheered and Jenny smiled broadly.

“Here’s Trevor, he’s like my brother.”, Mike said, poking the dark-haired guitarist in the ribs with his flute. “He plays both electric and acoustic guitar and the bass. Give it up for Trevor !”

Again, the audience clapped and cheered.

“Tess here,”, he said, walking to the other blond woman. “Is our newest member. She’s the other voice. I hate the word backup singer.”, he smiled at her. “She’s the feminine voice in our band and she plays the violin beautifully. Please make her feel welcome, this is her first ever show.”

He walked to the small orchestra and briefly introduced the 3 other musicians before returning to the front of the stage and holding the traverse flute to his mouth. The room went totally silent and the first soft high-pitched notes escaped from the instrument.

Then the drums and bass guitar started pounding fast and loud, almost but not totally covering the soft whisper of the flute.

Another beautiful song, Harvey thought. And this Mike guy could play almost every instrument possible, switching from the flute to the trumpet to the keyboard.

 

At the end of the set, the audience asked for an encore and only Mike came back on stage holding an acoustic guitar and a barstool. He sat down and smiled, mouthing thanks yous while adjusting the microphone.

“Thank you so much.”, he finally spoke up. “We’ve had a blast.”

He bent forward to grab a bottle of water and took a couple of gulps before putting it back down. He then took a capo from his pocket and put it on the end of the fretboard.

He lifted his head up and narrowed his eyes, watching the audience attentively for a while.

“That’s why I like to play small audiences.”, he smiled. “I can see each and everyone of you and the way you react to our music. It’s important to know if the audience is feeling it. And you can’t do that in those big ass arenas, right ?”, he laughed and paused. “One more song for you guys because you’ve been so great. I’m afraid I came unprepared for an acoustic solo so I’m going to do a cover. What would you suggest ?”, he asked teasingly.

Donna jumped on her seat and screamed “I know !”.

Mike looked at her and raised an eyebrow. He got up, took a couple of steps towards her and crouched down.

“Ok, beautiful.”, he smirked. “Which song would you like me to cover ?”

Harvey studied the young man’s face. He had an infectious smile. His blue eyes were almost shining in the dark room and beads of sweat were running down his temples.

“My favorite song in the whole world is Heart of Gold by Neil Young.”, Donna replied shyly.

 _Such a fangirl_ , Harvey thought.

Mike smiled at her.

“Alright then, I love it too, let’s do this !”, he exclaimed, walking back to the center of the stage.

He placed his hands on the strings and grinned at Donna before turning his gaze towards Harvey. Their eyes met for a brief second then Mike brushed the strings and opened his mouth to sing.

 

The cover was beautiful and it left Donna beaming with happiness. She had it all caught on film.

The other members of the band joined Mike on stage and they all bowed down to the cheering crowd.

“Thank you so much.”, Mike said, running a hand through his hair. “I’m going to say hi to the people waiting outside but don’t go anywhere, next round’s on me !”

Everybody started getting up from their seat and moving towards the bar.

“Oh my God, Rachel is going to freak out when she sees my videos and photos !”, Donna squealed. “Did you love it or did you love it ?”

“It wasn’t that bad.”, Harvey muttered through his teeth.

He took a look outside the window. Mike, Jenny, Trevor and the other blond girl were signing autographs and taking selfies with the patient fans. He had to admit they were a refreshing bunch of young and talented buddies.

Donna ordered them a beer and they sat on one of the comfortable couches. She was flicking through the concert pictures on her phone with a satisfied and starstruck smile.

 

Mike and the other members came back inside the bar a half hour later.

“Hold on to my beer.”, Donna said. “I brought my CD, I need Mike to sign it. I’ll be right back.”

Harvey sighed and took a sip of his now warm beer.

 

“Mike ?”, Donna asked tentatively as the young man was shaking hands with the people at the bar.

He turned around and smiled.

“Hey beautiful.”, he said with a mischievous smile. “You liked what I did with your favorite song ?”

“Are you kidding me ? I loved it !”, she exclaimed, refusing to acknowledge the embarrassing flush in her cheeks. “Could you, uh…”, she added, producing the CD case.

“Of course”, Mike replied with a smile. “What’s your name ?”

“Donna.”

“It’s cute.”, he commented, retrieving a marker from his back pocket. “Did your friend like the show ?”

“Oh, uh, yeah, he loved it. He said, and I quote, _it wasn’t that bad_ , which really means he fucking loved it.”, she replied with a smile.

“Good.”, he said, scribbling something on the booklet cover.

When he was done, he asked something to the bartender who handed him a sealed CD. He quickly opened the seal with his teeth, took out the booklet and went directly to the last blank page.

“Hold on a second.”, he said to Donna.

He turned around and spent a moment visibly writing something.

He turned back to Donna and handed her the two CDs.

“Give this one to your friend for me, ok ?”, he smiled knowingly.

Donna frowned in confusion but nodded.

“I will.”, she said. “Thank you very much.”

“Would you like a picture to go with your videos before we go ?”, Mike laughed, pointing at the phone Donna was holding.

“Oh yes, sure !”, she giggled.

This would definitely make Rachel die of jealousy.

 

“Here.”, she grinned, handing a CD to Harvey. “Mike asked me to give it to you.”

“To me ?”, Harvey asked incredulously.

“Yes, to you.”, Donna rolled her eyes. “He wrote something in the booklet.”

When Harvey simply put the CD in his inside pocket, Donna grabbed his arm.

“Wait ! You’re not going to look at what he wrote ?”, she practically screamed.

“Not now.”, Harvey replied, finishing his glass. “Besides, I have to buy us dinner since the music didn’t completely suck.”, he smirked.

Donna sighed. She desperately wanted to know but Harvey didn’t seem to share her curiosity.

“Let’s go.”, Harvey said, getting up.


	2. The Booklet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back :)  
> Sorry about the wait but my weekend was pretty booked and I really wanted this chapter to be long and to set the scenery.  
> I hope you like it !  
> Thank you so so much for the wonderful comments I got for the first chapter. You guys rock.

Harvey clumsily swiped the keycard to enter is condo, his head buzzing from the wine bottle Donna and him had shared at dinner. He removed his jacket and the CD fell from his pocket. He picked it up and took out the booklet.

The cover featured a sepia close-up of Mike, Trevor and Jenny. Mike, in the center, was looking straight into the camera with a serious face while the other two on each side were making faces. It didn't feature the other girl, _Tess ?_ , which made sense since the singer had told them the she had only just joined the band. "Mike + The Harmony / Freedom and other drugs" was printed in small capital letters under Mike's chin.  
Harvey flipped through the pages, which offered pictures from the recording studio and the lyrics to their songs, and saw the message Mike had scribbled on the inside back cover.

 _To the Handsome Man from the ront row._ _Mike_

Under the note was a phone number.

Harvey chuckled in surprise. It was the most daring pass a guy (or a girl) had tried to make at him. He had to give the kid points for courage, though he didn’t really risk anything. If Harvey was interested, and into guys – _how the hell did he figure that out ?_ – he would be flattered and maybe give him a call. If he wasn’t, he would simply laugh it off and forget about it.

Harvey put the booklet back in the case and stored the record in his small collection, a dozen CDs sitting right next to his huge vinyl collection.

He went to bed thinking about his father and with the sound of a trumpet playing in his ear.

  


The next morning, Donna was uploading the pictures from her phone into her computer when she saw her boss stepping out of the elevator.

She straightened up and put the coffee cup she had gotten him on the counter surrounding her desk.

“Morning Harvey.”

“Morning Donna.”, Harvey replied, taking the offered hot beverage. “And thank you.”

Donna looked up from the computer screen with a quizzing look.

Harvey was already at his computer and his face didn’t betray any emotion. It’s not like Donna wasn’t used to Harvey’s office poker face but usually, she could see underneath it, she could see what everybody else couldn’t.

“So ?”, she asked, leaning on the glass doorframe.

“So what ?”, Harvey asked with an amused look.

“You’re not going to tell me what Mike wrote for you ?”

Harvey raised his eyebrows.

“Really Donna ?”

“Come on, I want to know ! Please Harvey.”

Harvey sighed.

“He gave me his phone number.”, he said with a grin.

“Shut up ! He did not.”, Donna gaped.

Harvey giggled.

“He did.”

“Mike is gay ?”

“I don’t know about that, he just gave me his number.”

“Oh my God, I am so texting Rachel.”, she said, walking to the door. “Wait.”, she turned on her heels. “Did you call him ?”

“No, and I don’t plan to.”, Harvey deadpanned.

“Why the hell not Harvey ?

“Why would I call him ?”, Harvey asked with a disgusted face. “He’s a kid.”

Donna made a face.

“Like it bothers you.”, she huffed.

“Neal was 34, not 15.”, Harvey exclaimed. “I could be his father !”

“He’s 21. And you’re only 43, that’d make you a pretty damn young Dad.”

“Still a Dad.”

"Harvey.", she sighed. "It's been 6 months since you broke up with Neal and you haven't seen a single guy ever since."

Harvey pursed his lips.

"I'm not into one night stands and you know it.", he replied.

It was true. Harvey was the nicest guy Donna had ever met. They had been friends for more than 15 years and though people from the office might think he was cocky and a bit of a hard ass, Donna knew him. She knew the kind of guy Harvey was when he was not wearing his suit armor, what kind of guy he was outside of Pearson Specter. She knew him perfectly. She knew the shy man, the loving uncle, the loving son, the devoted friend and the romantic boyfriend. They had even shared a two-bedroom flat when they were both working in the DA's office 13 years ago and had spent countless nights putting the world to rights over wine and ice cream. They had shared successes, heartbreaks, sadness and moments of pure joy. And Donna couldn't stand to see Harvey alone, she couldn't stand to see all that love and kindness going to waste.

"I know, Harvey.", she said. "I still think you should start looking around."

Harvey smiled fondly and shook his head in amusement.

Sure, the kid was cute and a great musician, but he wouldn’t even know what to say to him. He had been on a couple of - set up - dates since his last long term relationship but he was beginning to think he was getting too old for dating.

  


“Come on, Mike, wake up !”, Jenny repeated, nudging her friend who was buried under a thick comforter.

“Hummmm.”

“It’s 2 in the afternoon !”, she insisted.

Mike sat up with a jump.

“What ?”, he croaked loudly. “Why didn’t you come wake me up earlier ?”

Jenny sighed.

“I did. Every fucking hour since 10 this morning.”, she replied with her arms crossed.

“Our flight is in 4 hours.”

“Where’s my phone ?”, Mike asked, looking around the hotel bed.

“Here.”, Jenny said, handing him the colorful-covered device.

“Shit, it’s dead.”, Mike sighed, letting himself fall back on the plush pillows.

“Waiting for an important call ?”, the blond woman asked with a wink.

Mike groaned.

“There’s this guy I saw at the concert yesterday…”, he said, finally getting up. “I left him my number.”

“Guy from the front row ?”

“How did you know ?”, Mike asked in disbelief.

“Come on, he was _hot_.”, Jenny replied, rolling her eyes dramatically. “Totally your type.”

“I need to charge that damn thing.”, he stated, rummaging through his suitcase.

Jenny laughed.

“Did you talk to him ?”, she asked, watching her friend awkwardly plug the charger into the wall and wait for his phone to automatically switch on.

“No.”, Mike replied, biting his lower lip. “But his friend, you know the gorgeous red-haired, she came to ask me to sign her CD and I signed one for him too. I wrote my number.”

“Maybe she didn’t give to him. Maybe he’s not interested…”, Jenny smiled. “Oh, I'm just teasing you, they always call you, don’t worry. Remember that guy from Toronto ? You waited like what ? 3 days ? He called you eventually, didn’t he ?”

“We’re leaving in three hours anyway…”, Mike sighed, looking at his phone desperately.

No phone calls, no texts. 

"We'll be back in 3 weeks for GMA.", Jenny said, running a hand through her blond hair.

Mike was a passionate man. Passionate and impulsive. Life had taught him to enjoy things while he could, to trust his instincts and act on them. He had lost his parents at a young age, had been placed with countless foster families until he was old enough to live on his own. He had always loved music and had a gift with instruments. He could learn to play any instrument fast and only needed to read a tab once to remember it forever. So he had decided to make a living out of his gift and form a band with his companions in misfortune. Trevor had been placed like him and they had been moved from family to family together, like brothers. They had met Jenny when they were kids, at school, and never lost touch.

So yeah, he had made the decision, early on in his young life, to enjoy everything it could offer. And what did it offer to rising indie rock stars ? Money and fame. With money, he indulged in rare and expensive instruments and weed. The fame, though still very new, brought fans and amongst them were cute boys. And like Jenny had said, they always called. Because fame made you attractive.

“He’ll call.”, Jenny said, leaving the room. “Hurry up now.” 

 

A couple of days later, Donna came in early to find 10 missed calls on her office phone.

She frowned and dialed the number back.

It rang a couple of times before someone picked up.

"Hello ?", a male voice answered.

"Hello, Donna Paulsen with Pearson Specter, you called me 10 times this morning.", she explained, ready for the person to realize they had dialed a wrong number and apologize profusely.

"Hey Donna, it's Mike, thank you for calling back !"

 _Mike_. Wait, Mike as in Mike ?

"Mike ?", she chocked.

"Yeah, from Mike and the Harmony, gosh that sounds so bad.", he laughed. "You remember me ?"

"Of course I do !", she laughed. "How could I forget ? How did you get my number ?"

"Well, I did a little investigation, meaning I asked for the list of names of people who bought seats to our show. I found your name, google it and your work number came up."

"You remembered my name ?", she almost squealed. _Almost_ , that's the important part.

"Of course.", Mike replied teasingly.

"Looking for legal representation ?", she asked with a grin.

"Not really.", he replied, sounding somewhat embarassed. "I, uh, I just wanted to make sure you gave your friend the CD I signed for him."

"Yes I did.", she confirmed, getting where this was heading. "And you're calling me because he didn't call you, right ?"

"Well, no, um, yes. I mean, I just wanted to make sure he got my number. It's ok if he didn't call me, I mean, that's how it works, I, I just... Thank you for calling me back.", Mike stuttered.

"No problem.", Donna simply replied, decided not to help the young man with his unformulated request.

"Um, what's his name ?"

"Harvey. Harvey Specter."

"No shit !", Mike exclaimed. "That's his firm ?"

"Yep."

"Well, again, thank you for calling me back. And, uh, have a nice day."

Donna smiled and didn't say anything. There was a question pending.

She heard Mike heave a loud sigh.

"Fine.", he finally spoke. "You're not going to help me, are you ?"

"Nope."

"Is he going to call me ?"

"I absolutely have no idea.", she deadpanned. "Just shoot it kid, I don't have all day."

"I, uh,", he sighed again. "I am usually good at recognizing gay people, Jenny calls it my _gaydar_ , but anyway, I.... fuck !", he groaned. "Is he gay ? Did he laugh at me ?"

"Wow, kid !", Donna laughed. "You're an amazing musician but you should definitely work on your communication skills. You should have started with this question.", she paused. "Yes, Harvey's gay. He did not laught at you. We didn't really talk about it anyway, he seemed flattered if anything."

"Ok. Thank you.", Mike replied. "And sorry for bothering you with this."

"It's no trouble.", Donna smiled. "The concert was amazing. When are you coming back to New York ?"

"Thank you. We're taping Good Morning America in 3 weeks. I hope to see you there."

"Me ?", she teased. "Let me know when and where and I'll make sure he comes."

She could almost hear the young man grin at the other end of the line.

"Thanx. Have a great day."

"You too, kid."

She hung up with a satisfied sigh. Harvey could use a little distraction, right. The man was a wokaholic and though he had always refused the idea of a one night stand, Donna knew that was because he had never had one. 

He had parted amicably from Neal after 4 years, both men had agreed they didn't love each other anymore, or at least not like they used to. And of course Donna had helped him find a new place and get over Neal. The thing with Harvey was that he had absolutely no idea how handsome he was. He thought the constant sollicitations were because of his money or because he was a powerful lawyer. It was endearing most of the time but when Harvey started telling her he'll never get another boyfriend, that he was too old, she had felt hopeless and frustrated. 

She wasn't going to tell him about Mike. He would freak out and refuse to go, she had to find a way to get him to visit Time Square at the time of the taping. She wasn't worried, she knew she'd be able to set him up because that's what she did. Trick her bestfriend into experiencing new things. And, like with everything regarding his personal life, Harvey was clueless.

She smiled wickedly and opened her computer.

 

Three weeks passed in a blur, and the fateful day finally arrived.

Donna had been able to set up her little plan behind Harvey's back without much trouble because he had been so swamped with work he had barely had time to check on her. Normally, she would have been upset and demanded a movie night with him so they could catch up, but this time she had been happy she hadn't had to sneak around or hide.

For all Harvey knew, he had a meeting with a potential client in a building on 44th Street and Broadway. Fortunately, and because he trusted her, Harvey hadn't asked that many questions about that new potential client, so Donna had only told him he worked for ABC and was a rather private man.

She had arranged for Harvey to arrive a half hour before the taping so that he and Mike could talk and set another appointment for the evening, after the band's promo day. 

"Good morning.", he said, handing his business card to the concierge. "I have a meeting with M. Ross."

"Oh, right, M. Specter.", the man, who had been given instructions, _because what respectable mischievous plan didn't involve a concierge, right ?_ , replied. "He's coming down as we speak."

"Oh, he didn't have to.", Harvey said apologetically. "But thank you."

The concierge nodded with a smile.

The elevator doors opened and a young man stepped out of the cabin with a grin. 

Harvey frowned. Was it the guy from the concert ?

"Hey.", he said. "Right on time !"

"Hey.", Harvey replied, taken aback. "Why didn't Donna tell me it was you ?"

Mike motionned to the elevator.

"Follow me.", he just said.

Donna had told him she could arrange the meeting but could not garantee the outcome. 

Harvey followed him without a word and spent the ride up wondering why Donna had been so vague on the potential client...

"So.", Harvey said, walking the long corridor. "You need a lawyer ?"

"Not really.", Mike laughed, swiping a keycard and opening a door to a huge luminous room.

The room was neatly furnished. It had a desk, a conference table and a clothes hanger. Two suitcases were open in one of the corners and make up and accessories were spread on the desk. 

"I have an appointment with you, right ?", Harvey asked with a frown.

"Yup.", the young man replied with a smirk. "Since giving you my number didn't work out, I figured I might as well make an appointment."

Harvey felt his cheeks starting to flush so he cleared his throat to hide his discomfort.

"I see.", he just replied, mentally kicking himself for not being able to come up with another answer.

"Would you like something to drink ?", Mike asked, checking the labels on the various metalic carafes displayed on the conference table. "We've got coffee, tea, orange juice and uh, milk."

"Why exactly did you ask me to come ?", Harvey asked, ignoring Mike's offer.

Mike turned around and smiled.

"I told you.", he said, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "I left you my number and you didn't call. So I set up an appointment with your secretary."

Harvey rolled his eyes.

"So it's not work, is it ?"

Mike flashed Harvey the most irresistible smile he had ever seen and tapped his fingers against the back of a chair before sitting down on another. 

Harvey opened his coat and reluctantly took a seat around the table.

"So, Harvey.", Mike said with a serious look. "I'm in New York for a couple of days to promote the album and I wanted to ask you out. Are you free tonight ?"

Harvey burst out laughing. If the number in the booklet and the appointment was any indication, he had a feeling the young singer would not settle for a no. 

"What ?", he asked in disbelief.

Mike smiled and shot him a look.

"So, is that a yes ?", he asked.

"I don't know.", Harvey replied, desperately trying to come up with a professional way to end the conversation. "I came here for what I thought was a business meeting and now you're asking me out ?"

"That's what it looks like.", Mike deadpanned. 

"I have to check my schedule, I... I don't know if that's such a good idea. I mean, I'm pretty busy and, -"

"Donna made sure your schedule was clear.", Mike smirked.

Harvey rolled his eyes and checked his schedule on his phone. There was an entry intitled "FUN TIMES ! YAY !" for tonight from 7 pm to 7 the next morning. 

He giggled nervously. 

"So ?", Mike asked impatiently.

Donna had warned him that her bestfriend wasn't an easy man but he had never met such resistance.

"Come on, it's just a dinner.", he tried.

Harvey sighed.

"I'll never hear the end of it if I refuse, so yes.", he replied.

"Great. Meet me here at 7.", Mike said, holding the cup of coffee to his mouth. 

 

"In my office, now.", Harvey ordered when passing before Donna's desk an hour later.

Donna didn't flinch. She knew he was just frustrated, besides he never yelled at her. 

"What the hell, Donna ?", he asked loudly when the door to his office was closed.

"He called me three weeks ago. He was worried I had not given you the CD with his number.", Donna said, elegantly taking a seat on the leather couch. "He asked for an appointment so I arranged it."

Harvey gave her a pointed look.

"Come on, Harvey !", she pleaded. "You need a little distraction."

"I'm fine, Donna.", he snapped. "Why do you always feel the need to stick your nose in my life ?"

"Because if I didn't, you'd be miserable, Harvey.", she replied calmly. "You'd be a sad old man with a cat."

"Thank you for "old man".", Harvey said, taking off his coat.

"You know what I mean.", she rolled her eyes. "You need to take care of yourself, go out, meet new people. Not clients, not colleagues."

Harvey pursed his lips.

"Are you going out with him tonight ?", she asked in a hopeful tone. 

She knew he could never stay mad at her for more than 2 seconds.

"Yes.", he replied with a sigh.

"Great !", Donna exclaimed, clapping her hands. "What are you going to wear ?"

"First of all, you interfering with my evening stops right now.", Harvey replied, his eyes fixed on his computer screen, scanning his new emails. "Second of all, your phone is ringing."

"No it's not.", she said, getting up. "Wear black jeans with a white shirt."

"Donna.", Harvey threatened.

She left his office with a satisfied smug.

 

 

At 6, Harvey was staring at his closet, trying to come up with another outfit than the one Donna had advised him to wear. There was no way she calling all the shots. 

15 minutes later, he grabbed a white shirt and a pair of black jeans with a sigh. As usual, she had been right, it was chic but casual and comfortable.

He did not style his hair, the gel was part of his lawyer armor and he never did his hair or shaved when he didn't need to. 

He checked himself in the mirror one last time and made a face. He had never been comfortable with going on dates when he was younger but it now seemed even harder. And Mike was so young. He tried to shake the thought and grabbed his coat, keys and wallet, ready to face the evening traffic. 

 

He had a hard time finding a parking spot but still made it on time in the lobby. 

Mike was already here, sitting in the waiting area, fingers tapping furiously on the screen of his colorful iPhone.

Harvey walked up to him and, when Mike didn't move, cleared his throat.

Mike immidiately lifted his head up.

"Hey !", he smiled, getting up. "Let's go !"

Harvey smiled shyly and let Mike practically drag him by the arm outside of the building.

"I checked on Trip Advisor, there's this steakhouse across the street, it's got awesome reviews.", Mike said, adjusting the scarf around his neck.

Harvey laughed.

"You checked on the Internet ? Why didn't you ask me ?", he asked.

"Because that's not how it works. I'm supposed to suggest the place if I'm asking you out.", Mike deadpanned.

"Good thing I love steak then.", Harvey chuckled.

"I already knew you did."

"Donna."

Mike turned his head to the side and smiled at Harvey.

"She's quite the secretary.", he said.

"Well, she's a lot more than that, secretary is her cover.", Harvey smiled. "She's my best friend. We've known each other for almost 16 years."

"I could have guessed. She's very protective."

"Sometimes I wonder if she hasn't been sent by my Mom to look after me.", Harvey chuckled.

Mike laughed.

 

"So, you're Canadian ?", Harvey asked when they were seated at their table and had ordered their dinner.

"Yeah, from Toronto. Ever been there ?"

"No but I'd love to. Not just Toronto though, there are so many places I'd like to visit. I'd like to go to where you can see the whales."

"Oh yeah.", Mike smiled. "I've never been."

"What got you into music ?", Harvey asked, pouring two glasses of wine.

"Well, I lost my parents when I was 9 and was placed with a foster family.", Mike began and smiled when Harvey mouthed "I'm sorry."."All the kids had to go to music class and I discovered I had the ability to learn pretty fast. I learned to play the violin and the guitar in less than a year."

"Wow !", Harvey smiled.

"So, to keep me entertained, I learned the piano and the drums. Then I got bored and I got into wind instruments. Trumpets, saxophone, even the pipe !", Mike laughed. "Also, I've got an eidetic memory so once I had learned how to read music sheets, I began reading entire books to memorize scores."

Harvey raised his eyebrows and shook his head in amazement.

"Can you play an instrument ?", Mike asked while the waiter was putting their plates on the table.

"No.", Harvey replied. "Well, I used to play the piano but I don't think I'd be any good today. But my father was a saxophone player. He had a band and was quite successful."

"Oh really ? What was his name, -  Wait ! Your father was Gordon Specter ?", Mike almost jumped on his chair.

"Yes.", Harvey replied with a grin.

"Oh my God, I love his music ! I can play some of it !"

"I can imagine that, you play the trumpet beautifully.", Harvey said.

"Thank you.", Mike smiled. "Wow ! I can't believe I'm having dinner with Gordon Specter's son !"

Harvey chuckled. Maybe set up dates weren't so bad.

"Do you often do that ?", he asked.

"Do what ?"

"Give your number to total strangers."

"All the time.", Mike replied randomly.

 _Ouch_. 

"I supposed I shouldn't be flattered that you asked me out then.", Harvey said with a smile, trying hard to hide his disappointment. Set up dates definitely were crap.

Mike laughed, amazingly at ease with the situation.

"I don't give it randomly, though.", he corrected.

Harvey snorted, sipping his wine.

"Why me, then ?", he asked.

"Isn't it obvious ?", Mike replied with a smile. "Have you seen yourself in a mirror recently ?"

Harvey raised an eybrow.

"So, out of all the young and attractive men in the audience you picked _me_ ?", he asked with a confused look.

"To be honest with you, I didn't see anybody else that night. There was just you.", Mike replied.

Harvey took a deep breath, hoping it would stop the flush from creeping up in his cheeks. Mike looked totally cool with openly flirting with him, never in his life had he met anyone so confident.

"Is that your usual pick up line ?", he asked with a smile.

"I don't usually _need_ pick up lines.", Mike replied.

"You're unbelievable.", Harvey burst out laughing.

"So I've been told.", the young man said, taking a mouthful of veggies.

"Are you always this confident ?"

"Why ?"

"Answering a question with a question.", Harvey stated.

"I'm not under oath and it's not a deposition, so I'm allowed to do that, right ?", Mike smirked.

"Oh yes, you're allowed everything you want.", Harvey replied, smiling.

"Everything ?", the young man asked with a mischievous smile. "Choose your words wisely Mr. Lawyer."

Harvey smiled and poured them another glass.

"Why did you agree to this date ?", Mike asked.

"Because Donna and you basically forced me."

"You still could've said no. So why ?"

"Why what ?", Harvey smiled nervously. 

"You asked me why I asked you out. I wanna know why you accepted."

Harvey laughed nervously. 

"I told you, I was forced. And well, you look like a nice guy and Donna had cleared my afternoon so...", he replied.

"A nice guy ?", Mike winked. 

"What exactly is it that you want me to say ?"

"Do you find me attractive ?", Mike asked.

Once again, Harvey was taken aback by the bluntness of the question.

"Can we, uh, stop the inquisition and enjoy our meal ?", he deflected. 

"I'll take that as a yes.", Mike said, putting the last bite of his steak into his mouth.

Harvey rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to laugh. The kid had balls.

"You think I'm crazy, right ?", he asked.

"I think you're intriguing."

"You think I'm bullshitting you."

"Honestly, I don't know.", Harvey replied.

"I can see it in your eyes. It's like you're waiting for someone to step out from a corner and shout "Surprise ! You're on television !".", Mike laughed.

"It wouldn't actually surprise me.", Harvey laughed. "Like I said, you're unbelievable."

"I'll take that as a compliment.", Mike said.

"Well, it is a compliment. It's not often that people surprise me."

"Good.", the young man smiled. "You don't regret coming, do you ?"

"No.", Harvey replied. "It's been a long time since I've been out. Work has been crazy lately."

Mike smiled.

"Should we go ?", he asked, taking his credit card out of his worn out leather wallet.

Harvey nodded and got up. 

"Where are you staying ?", he asked when they were out on the street. "Do you need a ride ?"

"A hotel on 22d.", Mike replied. "I'll let you drive me back there only if you agree to come up for a drink.", he winked.

"Then I'm afraid you'll have to grab a cab.", Harvey smirked.

"What now ? Are you going to tell me that you don't put out on the first date ?", Mike laughed.

Harvey stopped walking and put on his best bitch face.

"You really need to work on your communication skills, kiddo.", he deadpanned.

"Yeah, I know, Donna told me.", Mike rolled his eyes. "Are you upset ?"

"No.", Harvey lied. "I kinda firgured how you expected this evening to end when you said you usually didn't need pick up lines."

"And ?"

"And I was hoping that you'd have figured that this not going to end like it usually does."

"Playing hard to get I see.", Mike smirked.

"More like impossible to get.", Harvey snapped.

He had hoped that sharing a meal and a couple of personal stories would have made Mike want to see him again.

"You're upset."

"No I'm not. I'm just tired and it's cold.", Harvey pursed his lips. "So do you need a ride or are you taking a cab ?"

Mike sighed.

"Thank you but I'll be talking a cab.", he replied. 

"Thank you for dinner.", Harvey said, looking down.

"My pleasure. You have my number.", Mike said, walking away.

 

 


	3. The Fairytale Lounge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew ! This was one hell of a chapter to write, I'm exhausted.  
> Thank you so much for reading and for the wonderful comments and kind kudos.  
> Hope you like it !!!!

Harvey got back to his place a half hour later, angry with himself for agreeing to this date. He had never been good at flirting or being flirted with but what had happened tonight would probably always remain in his “worst date ever” memory box.

He dropped his car keys on the kitchen counter when his eyes were drawn to something moving on the couch.

“Hey.”

He jumped.

“Shit Donna !”, he shouted. “What the fuck are you doing here ?”

She yawned.

“What are  _you_  doing here ?”, she asked sleepily.

“That’s my apartment.”, Harvey replied, crashing on the couch.

“Is it already morning ?”

“Nope. It’s 11 pm.”

Donna sat up and ran a hand through her disheveled red hair.

“What happened ?”, she asked, stretching her neck.

“We had dinner.”, Harvey replied with a pointed look.

“Yeah I know that, Harvey.”, she rolled her eyes. “Why are you not making out with him ?”

Harvey sighed and got back up.

“I’m sorry, I’m in no mood for another inquisition. So if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to bed.”, he said, heading towards the bedroom.

Donna followed him up and straightened her dress.

“Can I sleep here ? I don’t feel like driving back to my place.”

“Yeah.”, Harvey replied with a soft smile. “Of course.”

Donna searched his closet for some kind of sleepwear while Harvey showered.

They did that a lot. Harvey would come to her place with pizza and ice cream and sleep over. Or the other way around.

She changed into a pair of black sweatpants, pulled on the drawstring so it didn’t fall off her hips, and slipped into a black tank top, which she though had to be way too tight for Harvey since it fitted her.

She climbed onto the bed and grabbed her phone to play 2048, knowing Harvey would take a long shower and then shave and then put a moisturizing lotion and then brush his teeth and then put night cream on his face. She basically had a whole 30 minutes to play.

When he finally joined her in the bed, he just lay on his side and turned off the bedside lamps.

“Goodnight Harvey.”, she whispered, throwing an arm around his waist and pulling him close.

She placed a quick kiss on his nape.

“Goodnight Donna.”, he replied, putting his hand over hers.

 

 

The band had a couple of interviews set for the day. Mike was choosing an outfit, wearing only a towel around his waist, when Jenny knocked on his door.

“Come in.”, he shouted.

“Morning.”, Jenny said with a mischievous smile. “Already gone ?”

“He didn’t come up here.”, Mike replied with a sigh.

“Oh.”

“Turns out I’m not irresistible after all.”, he smiled.

“What happened ?”

“I had dinner with one of the last decent men on earth it seems.”, he scoffed. “We had a great time, he’s funny and really nice. But he didn’t seem interested in talking things further.”

“You think he liked you ?”, Jenny asked while helping with his bandana.

“I think so. But he looked shy and oddly insecure. He kept laughing away my compliments. He’s got the nicest laugh I’ve ever heard, though. And God, he’s so handsome it’s almost intimidating.”

“Mike Ross intimidated. I never thought I’d see this day.”, Jenny smiled. “Are you going to see him again ?”

“I don’t think he wants to.”, Mike replied, checking himself in the mirror.

 

 

“Wake up sleeping beauty.”, Donna said, turning off her alarm.

Harvey groaned and turned to face her.

“What time is it ?”, he mumbled.

“6.”, Donna replied, kissing his forehead. “I have to drive home to shower and change.”

“Hum.”

“Get up and drink a lot of coffee, you’ve got court at 9.”, she said, leaving the bed.

She grabbed her dress and walked to the bathroom.

“Donna ?”, Harvey asked, rubbing his face.

She put on her dress and popped a head around the doorframe.

“Do you think…”, he paused. “No. Never mind.”

Donna picked her shoes from the floor and sat back down on the bed. She took Harvey’s hand in hers.

“You know what I think Harvey ?”, Donna said with a fond smile. “I think you’re a wonderful man. You’re my best friend so you probably think my judgment’s biased but it’s not, it’s the truth. You’re a very handsome and exceptional man. Anyone who cannot see that is an idiot.”

“Thank you Donna.”, Harvey smiled unconvincingly, squeezing her hand.

“Now, get ready to kick ass.”, she ordered, leaving the bedroom. “See you later.”

 

 

And he did kick ass. The poor defense witness obviously hadn’t been properly prepared for the Specter tornado and had completely failed at making his point when faced with the sharp lawyer’s line of questioning.

At work, doing what he loved to do, Harvey was confident, witty, and even cocky sometimes. When Jessica had hired him 10 years ago, she had taught him how to appear ruthless, how to make people respect you, how to make the opposition flinch with just a word or a twist of the mouth. Harvey was smart and devoted to his job but it had taken him years to reach that level of confidence in his work, to build this work persona and become New York’s most feared lawyer. Now, he managed to switch from his work persona to his true private self easily. He could always count on his family and friends to put him back on the right track if needed.

His Dad had died 6 years ago and, to this day, it had been the hardest thing Harvey had ever had to go through but he was very close to his Mum, Helena, who also lived in New York and whom he visited often. He had a twin brother, Paul, who aside from a complete physical resemblance was very different from him. They got on well but were not as close as you’d expected twin brothers to be. He also had two sisters, Ellen and Geraldine, 37 and 32, whom he was very attached to.

And there was Donna, his best friend, and a bunch of close friends from Harvard.

 

When he arrived at the office after a quick lunch with his Mum, he found Donna sitting at his desk, using his computer.

“Hey boss.”, she smiled but did not look up. “How did it go ?”

“How do you think ?”, Harvey smiled.

Donna looked at him and smirked.

“What are you doing on my computer ?”

“A guy from IT took mine because it apparently needs updating.”, she explained.

“Ok, when are you getting it back ? Because I might need my computer at some point this afternoon.”

“It shouldn’t take long, but I need to make an urgent Google search.”

“What for ?”, Harvey asked, flicking through his record collection.

“Us. Tonight.”

Harvey turned around and sighed.

“Donna.”, he simply said and pursed his lips.

“What ?”, she smiled playfully. “I need to get laid so we’re going out.”

“How do you expect to get laid if you go out with a guy ? It’s never worked before.”

“You just won a big case so we need to celebrate.”, she added.

“Which is it ? You need to get laid or we need to celebrate ?”

“What are you ? Some kind of lawyer ?”, Donna asked feigning annoyance.

“Seriously, Donna.”, Harvey said, lowering the needle on the record. “I already had one weird date yesterday, plus I’m tired.”

“How long has it been since we got shit drunk and danced the night away ?”

“A long time I know, but I’d be perfectly content with staying in tonight.”, he replied. “You can come over and we can get shit drunk, what do you think ?”

“I think you’re  _boring_.”, Donna rolled her eyes.

Harvey shrugged and settled on the couch with a couple of files that needed proofing.

 

 

Mike, Jenny, Trevor and Tess taped a live performance for The Tonight Show hosted by Jimmy Falone, followed by an interview during which Mike and Trevor did most of the talking.  

They decided to go out for drinks after their rather grueling day and Tess had suggested the Gansevoort Hotel. The top floor housed the prestigious bar Plunge, which offered a nice view from its terrace. It was already pretty packed with men in fancy suits and women in short cocktail dresses when they got in.

“Wow.”, Mike exclaimed when the band stepped on the terrace. “The view is breathtaking”, he said, leaning over the handrail.

They ordered tequila shots from the bartender who eyed them suspiciously because of their youth and choice of drinks. He carded them but they were all over 21, even if by just a few months.

Mike spotted Donna at the far end of the room. She was wearing a forest green silk dress and it looked like she was in deep conversation with a man in a suit.

He walked towards her and waved when their eyes finally met.

“Hey Mike.”, she smiled broadly. “Mike, this is Stephen, Stephen, this is Mike, he’s a singer in a band.”

Stephen held out his hand, which Mike shook with a polite nod.

“Harvey’s here.”, Donna said before he could say anything. “He’s probably sulking somewhere.”, she winked.

“Oh ok.”, Mike replied. “Have a great evening. Nice meeting you Stephen.”

Mike elbowed his way through the crowded bar and finally tracked Harvey down. He was sitting crossed-legged at a table, wearing suits pants with a white shirt and a vest. The first 3 buttons of his shirt were unbuckled and his hair was falling over his tired face in a nice wave. He was absentmindedly rubbing his middle finger around the rim of an empty glass and seemed totally unfazed by whatever the beautiful woman sitting across from him was saying.

Mike slowly approached the table, waiting for Harvey to look up and notice him, he didn’t want to interrupt their conversation.

When Harvey’s eyes eventually looked away from his interlocutor and met with Mike’s, his face lit up. Mike took it as a sign and moved a couple of steps further until he reached the table.

“Mike.”, Harvey said with a slight smile.

The woman turned to face him and faked a smile, visibly annoyed.

“Zoe, this is,-“

“I’m Mike, Harvey’s boyfriend.”, Mike cut him.

“Oh, I see.”, the woman scoffed as her eyes darted back and forth between Mike and Harvey. “I guess I’m going to leave then.”

She got up and grabbed her purse.

“Have a nice evening.”, she said, storming away.

“Oh my God, her face !”, Mike burst out laughing.

"Why did you say that ?", Harvey asked.

"You seemed bored. I thought I'd put an end to your misery.", the young man laughed. "A guy can dream, right ?"

Harvey chuckled and motioned towards the now empty chair.

“I didn’t expect to meet you here.”, he said. “You seem more of a tavern kind of guy.”

“Tess and Jenny wanted to see the view from the rooftop. I tried to order a beer but they didn’t have any !”, Mike laughed. “Celebrating something ?”

“Not really.”, Harvey smiled shyly. “Or if I was, it would make a pretty sad picture, wouldn’t it ? Donna forced me to come.”

“You can’t say not to her, can you ?”

“No I can’t.”, Harvey replied, surveying the room, suddenly feeling the urge to spot his best friend in the crowd.

“She’s over there, talking to a guy named Stephen.”, Mike pointed at a group of people. “Why are you here on your own ?”

“Because she didn’t want to come alone, she needed a chaperon. She said she needed _to get laid_.”, he replied, airquoting the last part.

“And she honestly thought it was a great idea to go out with you ?”, the young man laughed. “I mean, who’d even be wanna try to compete with this?”, he made a vague gesture in Harvey's direction.

“Stephen, apparently.”, Harvey deadpanned.

“Want another drink ?”, Mike asked, tilting his head towards the empty glass.

“No, thank you. I think I’m going to leave.”

“Hungry ?”

Harvey was hungry but he didn’t feel like eating out and he clearly didn’t want a repeat of last night’s disaster. Well, disaster wasn’t the right word. He wasn’t totally clueless, he had understood what Mike wanted, but he didn’t think he could do it. And saying no to those beautiful blue eyes had proved almost impossible.

“I’m ok.”, he replied, getting up from his chair. “But thanks for offering.”

Mike bit the inside of his cheek to hide his disappointment.

Since his chances of having another date with Harvey seemed slim to nonexistent, he thought he might as well know for sure.

“You’re really not hungry or you just don’t want to have dinner with me ?”, he asked.

Harvey didn’t reply, he just looked at him with a dumbfounded smirk on his lips.

“Is it about last night ?”, Mike continued. “Did I say or do something that upset you ?”

“Look Mike.”, Harvey sighed. “You’re a good kid, obviously smart and you’re a lot of fun, I had a great time last night. But I can’t see what you could possibly want from me.”

Mike laughed nervously.

“I don’t want anything  _from_  you Harvey.”, he said. “I’m just asking if you want to some grab dinner. What is so hard to understand about it ?”

“Why don’t you go meet your friends and find a young man to give your number to, like you do  _all the time_.”, Harvey replied with a pointed look.

“Oh, so that’s it.”, Mike sighed. “You think I’m just playing with you ?”

Harvey slowly blinked and then looked away.

“Aren’t you ?”, he finally asked.

“No !”, Mike shouted, frowning. “I mean, sure, I’d like to do more than share a dinner with you, but I’m not playing.”

“I’m not interested in that kind of things, Mike.”, Harvey almost muttered because people had started looking at them when Mike had shouted.

“What kind of things ?”, Mike snorted.

Harvey cocked his head to the side and pursed his lips.

“Right.”, Mike said. “You’re not into eating. I get it. Trying to watch your weight, why not. Though, if I may say so, you really don’t need worry about that.”

Harvey heaved a dramatically loud sigh.

“You’re a real pain in the ass, you know that ?”, he said, his lips trying to suppress a smile his eyes couldn’t hide.

Mike grinned.

“I know.”, he said, looking up from under his lashes. “Let me go see my friends real quick and then we’ll go !”

Harvey took his phone out of his pocket and texted Donna to let her know he was leaving with Mike. She replied seconds later with a "Good Boy." which made Harvey roll his eyes.

 

 

They walked to the nearest fast-food restaurant and ordered double meals.

"You look so out of place here.", Mike smiled. "But I've got to admit, you look great in a suit. I honestly don't know which look I prefer."

Harvey smiled shyly. It's not that he wasn't used to hearing compliments, in fact he heard them all the time. Compliments on his looks, which he attributed to his expensive taste in clothing and his $6000 dollar suits and compliments on his work, which he gladly accepted because he worked his ass off. But there was something about the way Mike gave compliments, quickly and easily. He was clearly flirting with him but it didn't show, it looked natural. And Mike didn't seem to be waiting for Harvey to thank him or say anything, so it wasn't that bad. Still, it felt strange to be showered with compliments from a guy he barely knew.

"In my job, first impressions are everything.", Harvey explained. "First impressions last. You start behind the eight ball, you'll never get in front."

"It makes sense.", Mike replied, his mouth full of half-chewed fries.

Harvey made a disgusted face.

"That's disgusting.", he frowned. "Talk about first impressions."

Mike laughed, grabbing his Coke and sipping a big gulp.

Harvey couldn't help but smile.

"So, how's the promotion going ?", he asked.

Mike emptied his mouth and opened it, tongue sticking out, to show Harvey, who looked away with a laugh.

"It's going fine.", Mike replied. "We have another daytime show tomorrow and then we're heading back to Toronto."

"You like it ?"

"What ? Playing on television ? Yeah, we love it. The whole interview thing is a bit of a pain because we have to tell our story 20 times a day since we're new but it's ok. If it goes well, we'll be touring the music festivals in Europe next summer."

"That's great. I used to go with my father and his band when I was younger. We went to Paris, Berlin, London... it's a great experience.", Harvey said.

Mike smiled and took a bite of his second burger, trying to understand how Harvey managed to look so put together while eating a burger. He could feel ketchup sauce dripping from his chin so he grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth. _First impressions..._

"There's one thing I don't get, Harvey.", he said, again with his mouth full.

Harvey raised an eyebrow.

"I don't get how a successful lawyer who owns a freaking firm and who looks like you can be so insecure."

Harvey snorted.

"Insecure ? I'm not insecure !", he replied, looking everywhere but at Mike.

"Come on. I can see you blush.", Mike said.

"Well.", Harvey licked his lips nervously. "Maybe I blush.", he tried. "But you just throw me off."

Mike smiled mischievously. 

"I do ?", he asked.

"I told you I found you intriguing. It's like you don't have a filter, like everything you think just pours right out."

"Is that a bad thing ?"

"I don't know.", Harvey replied, thinking about it for a second. "Though it could cause you trouble. You have to watch your mouth."

"I'll take that piece of advice into consideration, Mr. Lawyer.", Mike mocked, emptying a packet of ketchup sauce directly into his mouth.

"Alright, enough with the disgusting stuff kiddo, we're leaving.", Harvey said, wiping his hands clean.

"Where are we going ?", the young man asked, barely keeping pace with Harvey.

"I'm going home."

"Come on Harvey ! It's my last night in New York and I still haven't been to The Fairytail Lounge !"

Harvey stopped dead in his tracks and laughed in complete disbelief.

"You wanna go to a gay bar ?", he asked.

"Yeah, I've heard it's really nice."

"Well, I wouldn't call it _really nice_ but it's one of the best gay bars, though it's not what it used to be."

"Come on, let's have some fun ! Please Harvey !"

Harvey rolled his eyes. The thing with Harvey is that he couldn't say no. If you insisted a little bit, he always caved in.

He sighed.

"Yes !", Mike shouted. "Let's grab a cab, I have the address on my phone !"

"Of course you do..."

 

The Fairytail Lounge was a famous Hell's Kitchen gay bar, a rather small place that served cheap cocktails.

When the cab pulled over the entrance, Harvey almost told the driver to keep going. This was a bad idea. He hadn't been to that place for ages and here he was, stuck with a hyperactive 20-something who wanted to _have fun_.

He took a deep breath and let Mike drag him inside the testosterone-filled bar.

He felt a little too old and overdressed but Mike looked so happy to be here that it made this moment of self-conscious quickly evaporate. 

When they ordered their drinks, the bartender asked Mike for his ID, which the young man happily produced. Mike was young and carefree and from what he’s seen, he was constantly happy and smiling. His heart did a funny thing in his chest so he just smiled and casually mocked Mike’s face on his ID. 

"Fancy meeting you here Harvey.", a voice said with a hand on his shoulder.

Both Mike and him turned around.

"Neal.", Harvey said with a soft smile. 

"Been a long time.", Neal said with a grin. "What have you been up to ?"

"You know, winning and winning again.", Harvey replied with a genuine smile.

Mike cleared his throat.

"Oh sorry.", Harvey said. "Neal, this is Mike, Mike this is Neal."

Mike shook the guy's hand. He was gorgeous. Huge blue eyes, wavy brown hair, perfect smile, great teeth and great style to top it all. Obviously, Harvey and Neal knew each other very well. 

"Nice to meet you Mike.", Neal smiled. "Have I seen you somewhere before ? Your face looks familiar."

"Mike is a singer in a band and he's promoting his music at the moment.", Harvey stepped in.

"Oh right, that's it, you're Mike from Mike and The Harmony !", Neal exclaimed, visibly impressed. "I gotta say I love your music. I've seen you on GMA, you're amazing."

"Thank you very much.", Mike replied sheepishly.

"Wanna join us ?", Neal pointed at a table where a couple of men were sitting. 

"Nah, it's ok, thank you but we're not staying.", Harvey replied with a polite smile.

"Ok ! Nice meeting you Mike.", Neal said, pulling the young man into a hug. "Nice seeing you Harvey.", he added, nodding.

"Yeah.", Harvey said, holding his glass in the air.

"Ok, who the hell is that living Ken doll ?", Mike asked when Neal was out of earshot.

Harvey chuckled.

"My ex.", he replied.

"Oh.", Mike mouthed, watching Neal walk to his friends.

That explained a lot. 

"Are we really not staying or you said that because you didn't want to go to their table ?", he asked.

"I didn't want to go to their table.", Harvey replied, sipping on his cocktail. "Do you want to stay ?"

"When did you two break up ?"

"6 months ago, why ?"

"Nothing.", Mike replied. "Just wondering."

Harvey shook his head with a smile. 

"Come on.", he said. "There's a table over there."

 

Two hours later, they were drinking their fifth glass and laughing drunkenly.

"We should go home.", Harvey slurred, finishing his glass. "I don't know what time it is but I know it's past my curfew."

"You don't have a curfew."

"No I don't.", Harvey giggled. "But I need a minimum sleep to function at work.", he added, checking his schedule on his phone and praying for a clear morning. He sighed with relief when he finally managed to access it.

"And where's home ?", Mike asked with a smirk.

"Not far."

"Can we share a cab ?"

"Sure. Come on, let's go.", Harvey said, getting up and nearly tumbling down.

"We're so drunk !", Mike laughed, helping Harvey back on his feet.

They managed to exit the bar without tripping and started walking on the sidewalk.

"I had a great time.", Mike said, turning to face Harvey.

"Yeah, me too."

Harvey was about to raise his arm to hail a cab when Mike put his hands on his waist and kissed him.

Harvey's lips were exactly like Mike had thought they would be : soft and warm. When Harvey didn't push him away, he pulled him closer, wrapping his arms around his waist. Harvey cupped his face and angled his head to deepen the kiss. Mike felt Harvey's tongue tentatively brush over his lips before he parted them. When their tongues met, he couldn't help the soft moan that escaped his mouth and Harvey smiled into the kiss. They kissed for a minute, staring into each other's eyes, before finally parting to catch their breath.

"Take me home.", Mike whispered against Harvey's lips. 

Harvey smiled and pressed his forehead against Mike’s. He took a deep breath. His body was screaming "Yes !" but his reason was telling him to stop right there.

"I don't think it's a good idea.", he said, gently brushing his thumb across Mike's cheek. “We’re drunk.”

Mike hummed in agreement and pressed wet kisses at the corner of his mouth.

“We’re tired.”, Harvey continued.

Mike nodded and started tickling his lips with the tip of his tongue.

“We both should go home.”, Harvey whispered, his breathing becoming heavier.

Mike rubbed his nose against Harvey’s.

“I totally agree with you, M. Lawyer.”, he murmured with a grin.

Harvey groaned lowly when he felt his lips being captured again and Mike grinding against the bulge in his pants.

A cab pulled over in front of them and two men stepped out.

“Let’s go.”, Mike ordered, grabbing Harvey’s hand.

“Where to ?”, the cab driver asked.

“Your place or mine ?”, Mike asked, his hand rubbing up and down Harvey’s thigh.

Harvey swallowed thickly and gave his address to the driver.

As soon as the engine had started, Mike moved to straddle his lap and pulled him into a passionate kiss, one hand brushing his hair, the other cupping his cheek.

“Mike…”, Harvey moaned into Mike’s mouth.

The young man let go of Harvey’s hair and slid his hand between their bodies, cupping his erection and gently rubbing it through his soft suit pants.

“God, Mike, stop…”

Mike’s hand stopped moving and he chuckled, his lips still teasing Harvey’s.

“I want you so much, Harvey.”, he whispered, spreading his knees even more and pressing soft kisses behind Harvey’s ear.

They made out for the rest of the ride, Harvey often having to grab Mike’s wrists and push his hands away from his pants. He really didn’t want to come in his pants.

After a while, the cab driver cleared his throat, which only Harvey seemed to hear. Mike was grinding hard against him, hips jerking uncontrollably.

“Mike.”, he chuckled. “We’re here.”

Mike sighed and reluctantly moved out of Harvey’s lap. Harvey slipped a couple of folded bills into the driver’s hand and stepped out of the car.

He took Mike’s hand in his and they walked inside his apartment building.

“Hiya.”, Mike waved at the concierge who shot him a look.

“Shhhh.”, Harvey chuckled. “It’s past 1 !”

“Sweet.”, Mike smiled when the glass elevator started to move.

He pressed his body against Harvey and kissed him.

“Hold on a second.”, Harvey laughed, holding his index finger to Mike’s lips. “Wait til we’re inside, ok ?”

Mike pouted but kept pressing hard and moaning, his head buried in Harvey’s neck.

Harvey closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his hands roaming Mike’s back. He was never gonna be able to make it to the bed.

They finally had to break apart so that Harvey could open the front door.

Harvey had barely stepped inside when Mike pushed him against the nearest wall, slamming the door shut with a kick of his foot.

“God, I can’t wait to be inside you.”, he moaned, already unbuckling Harvey’s suit pants.

It took everything in Harvey’s power to not come in his pants right here right now.

“Let’s go to the bedroom”, he rasped, holding his pants up with one hand and guiding Mike towards the bedroom with the other.

The young man didn’t seem to want to waste any time. As soon as they had entered the room, he undressed quickly, leaving a trail of clothes behind him from the door to the bed.

He sat down and stared at Harvey with lust-filled eyes.

“You’re so hot.”, he said, slowly stroking his leaking cock.

Harvey smiled and finished undressing before joining Mike on the bed and kissing him. They both moved up to the pillows and lay down, their tongue avidly searching each other’s mouth.

Without breaking the kiss, Mike climbed on top of Harvey, who spread his legs and let him settle in between. He arched his back, allowing their cocks to meet and eliciting a whimper from the young man.

“I could come right now.”, Mike whispered breathlessly against his mouth.

Harvey ran a gentle thumb over his wet lips and smiled. He could too.

He tried to reach the bedside table but it was out of arm’s length.

Mike winked and placed a quick kiss on his lips. He crawled to the side of the bed, opened the drawer and grabbed the bottle of lube and a condom. He placed them on the pillow and settled back between Harvey’s legs.

Trailing kissed across his jaw, down his chest, he licked around his nipple, took hit in his mouth and began to gently bite on it. Harvey hissed at the _very_ slight discomfort and moaned, tilting his head back.

Mike kissed his way down and gently took the head of Harvey’s cock between his lips, one of his hands cupping his balls, the other fisting his own rock hard cock. Harvey lifted his head to watch the young man who was grinning at him. He flicked his tongue around the tip and licked his lips teasingly.

“Mike…”

He wasn’t going to last and as much as he enjoyed Mike’s little show, he needed him to speed things up. Harvey grabbed the bottle of lube and handed it to Mike who smiled mischievously.

He let go of both their cocks, sat up on his knees and opened the offered bottle. He coated his fingers with the cool liquid and quickly began to tease Harvey’s entrance with his slick middle finger. With his other hand he gestured towards the condom, which Harvey grabbed and handed to him.

“You look so good Harvey.”, he slurred, eyes dark with lust. “I could come just watching you open up for me.”

Harvey bucked his hips and the finger slid all the way past the tight ring of muscle.

“God.”, Mike whimpered, closing his eyes and pressing at the base of his cock with his free hand.

He pressed another finger inside and Harvey gasped.

The room was silent except for their heavy breathing and the sound of Mike’s fingers sliding in and out of Harvey’s hole.

Mike began to stroke his cock at a matching rhythm, spreading the leaking precome over his length.

“God Harvey…”, he cried out, clenching his eyes shut.

Hearing his name had never sounded so sexy and Harvey’s cock twitched in pleasure and anticipation.

“I want to kiss you.”, Mike whispered, finally opening his eyes.

He slipped his fingers out of Harvey and lay down on top of him, cupping his cheeks with his damp hands.

Harvey could smell the precome Mike was spreading over his cheek. He grabbed Mike’s mouth and they kissed earnestly while rutting against each other, their hips jerking frantically.

“I want you inside me, Mike.”, Harvey whispered, completely out of breath.

Mike buried his head in the crook of his neck.

“Shit, don’t talk Harvey or I’m gonna come right now.”, Mike said through clenched teeth, his whole body shivering.

He moved and kneeled back between Harvey’s legs, grabbed the condom and expertly rolled it down his cock, his jaw and eyes clenched shut.

He wanted to come, he couldn’t wait, he didn’t even think he could enter Harvey’s tight hole without coming in the process. He took a deep breath and spread Harvey’s thighs wider before leaning forward and guiding his cock to the slick and warm entrance.

“God Mike, fuck me.”, Harvey said in a low moan, his hole already clenching against the condom-wrapped head.

Mike whimpered and slid inside, pressing kisses across Harvey’s shoulders.

“Aaahh.”, he cried out loud. “Harvey, oh my God. Oh God. Oh God.”, he repeated, coming hard.

Harvey wrapped his arms around his back and kissed him. He felt Mike’s cock twitch in his ass and that was it, his breath suddenly became heavier he let out a long groan as he came untouched between their trembling bodies.

A couple of minutes later, when they had both caught their breath, Mike lifted his head from Harvey’s neck and kissed him lazily.

“I could kiss you all night.”, he breathed with a smile.

Harvey smiled back and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss.

Mike’s now soft cock slipped out of Harvey, making him shudder.

Harvey gently pushed Mike to the side and pulled the blanket over their sweaty bodies. The young man rested his head on his chest and began tracing patterns on it.

“Get some sleep.”, he said, stroking Mike’s cheek.

Mike hummed and stole another long lazy kiss before finally falling asleep. Lost in the afterglow of probably the best sex he’d ever had, Harvey closed his eyes quickly fell asleep.


	4. The View

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter !  
> Thank you so much for reading and commenting, hope you like where this is going.  
> xoxo

Mike woke up, feeling overworked and sticky. He kept his eyes shut while he tried to remember where he was. There was a beautiful jazz melody playing in the room and he took a minute to just enjoy it before realizing it was probably an alarm.

He opened his eyes and was faced with a beautifully defined jaw line and sharp cheekbones.  _Harvey_.

He smiled and closed his eyes, nuzzling against the slight stubble on Harvey’s chin.

Memories from the previous night, or rather from earlier that day, came cascading back into his head. Harvey’s perfect body, Harvey’s moans, Harvey’s ass clenching around his cock, Harvey coming untouched… He moaned and looked under the cover. Harvey was half-hard so he slid a hand down his chest.

“Don’t even think about it, Mike.”, Harvey threatened sleepily when Mike’s hand was about to reach his cock.

Mike giggled and kissed him on the cheek.

“Come on…”, he said, rubbing against his thigh and inhaling loudly.

“You’re unbelievable.”, Harvey sighed, pulling him into a tight hug. “As much as I’d love to, we can’t. I need to get up.”

“You smell delicious…”, Mike whispered in his ear. “I never want to leave this bed.”

“I can’t possibly be smelling delicious.”, Harvey chuckled, poking him in the ribs with his elbow.” You’re disgusting.”

“I know, you keep telling me this.”, Mike complained, closing his eyes.

“Uh uh, don’t fall asleep. Go shower.”

Mike whined and finally sat up. The bed was a complete mess. He spotted the used condom somewhere on the mattress and grabbed it before getting up.

“This way ?”, he asked, pointing at a door.

Harvey nodded with a smile.

When he heard the lock he rubbed his face and let out a loud sigh.

He had never slept with a guy he wasn’t dating. And from what he knew about Mike, he wasn’t the dating type. As Donna often told him, he was a hopeless romantic. Making love or, well let’s be blunt for once,  _fucking_  was not something Harvey did as a pastime or because he needed to. He valued the act, the intimacy and didn't believe in sharing these moments with just anybody. Another thing Donna often fondly mocked, saying he was a teenage girl trapped in the body of a smasher.

That was exactly why he didn’t want one-night stands. He knew he’d get attached to whoever shared an intimate moment with him. And what happened earlier with Mike proved his theory as he was already feeling the familiar wave of affection washing over him.

He got up and put on his briefs. He needed coffee.

 

Mike joined him in the kitchen moments later, fully dressed.

“Your shower is incredible.”, he smiled, taking a seat on one of the barstools. “What’s for breakfast ?”

“I’m afraid I don’t have much to offer.”, Harvey smiled apologetically, opening his fridge. “I usually just drink coffee in the morning.”

“Coffee’s fine.”, Mike replied, running a hand through his damp hair.

“I can have my driver drop you at your hotel if you want.”, Harvey said, pouring another cup of coffee.

“You have a driver ?”

“Yep.”

Mike smiled and sipped his coffee. He felt at ease, and for once he didn't feel the urge to flee the crime scene, if anything, he'd gladly stay for another round. 

He had met a lot of guys, even before he became somewhat famous, but he had never met anyone like Harvey. Besides, Harvey wasn’t just a guy, he was grown man, a fucking accomplished lawyer with expensive suits, a very sweet place and a driver. This was new and Mike didn't really know what to think of it.

"I'm gonna take a shower.", Harvey said, discarding his mug in the sink. "Make yourself at home.", he added, gesturing towards the coffee pot.

And Mike did. He got up and walked to the huge window. The sun was getting up, turning the adjacent glass building into a giant light bulb. Harvey's living room was like his bedroom, out of a decorating magazine. There were empty vases, indescribable ugly sculptures which probably cost a fortune and soft rugs. He wondered if Neal had lived here. 

Mike walked to a wall displaying pictures.

There was a black and white picture of a smiling Harvey sitting next to an equally smiling beautiful lady and the resemblance was so striking Mike guessed she was his mother. There was another picture of Harvey with blonder locks standing next to two young women and, _wait_ , another Harvey ? 

Mike stepped closer to the picture and took a good look. There definitely were two Harveys on the picture. Harvey had a twin brother ? He could not tell Harvey from his brother but guessed the blond one had to be the twin since Harvey had brown hair. 

Another picture showed a grinning Donna wearing sunglasses and a wool scarf on a boat, the Statue of Liberty in the background. Next to it was a picture of a younger Harvey dressed as James Bond, holding a gun in one hand, a proud smirk on his face, standing next to Donna who was dressed as Ursula Andress in Dr. No, beige bathing suit and knife. 

Mike smiled. They actually looked the part.

"Halloween.", Harvey said, walking back into the living room, impeccably dressed and coiffed. "15 years ago.", he smiled. "God we look so young."

"You'd make a convincing James Bond.", Mike said with a genuine smile.

Harvey laughed and looked at the pictures. 

"This is my Mum, Helena.", he explained, pointing at the black and white picture. "And these are my brother and sisters. My twin brother Paul, Ellen and Geraldine." 

He moved his pointing finger to a small frame displaying a visibly old Polaroid picture. "This is my father and me. I was 5, he was going on his first tour and my Mum wanted him to carry our pictures with him while he was away."

Mike took a tentative sideways glance at Harvey. His eyes were filled with tears and his jaw clenched tight. He heard him gulp.

"Shall we go ?", he asked with a slightly higher pitched-voice than usual. "Do you need a ride back ?"

"Yes, please.", Mike replied in a cheering tone.

 

 

The town car pulled over in front of Mike's hotel twenty minutes later. The ride had been silent, neither Mike nor Harvey knowing how they were supposed to part.

"Harvey,-"

"It's ok.", Harvey cut him more sharply than he intended. "Have a safe trip home."

Mike took a look at Harvey, grabbing the handle. His face was expressionless, his eyes were dark, he looked so different from the laid-back man he had gotten drunk with.

"Thanks.", he said, exiting the car. 

He glanced one last time at Harvey who was looking straight ahead.

"Bye.", he whispered, closing the car door.

When the car at a safe distance from the hotel, Harvey let out a heavy sigh and clenched his hands into tight balls, hoping it would stop them from trembling. He had switched into lawyer mode for their goodbyes, it was his only defense. The only strategy he had come up with to avoid the awkwardness. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he was back into lawyer mode, ready to walk the corridors of Pearson Specter and scare an associate or two to death.

 

"Mickey !", Jenny squealed when she saw her friend entering the lobby. "I tried calling you !"

"Am I late ?", Mike asked.

"No but I was worried.", Jenny blushed. "You said you were going out for a drink and you never came back to the hotel."

"Sorry Jenny.", he said, pressing the button to call the elevator. "I stayed at Harvey's."

"After you went to a gay bar."

"Yeah but how did you know ?"

"Simon showed me a picture this morning. Someone posted it on Twitter."

"What ?", Mike shouted, rubbing his face nervously.

"Don't worry, he's not mad.", Jenny said, brushing a hand on his forearm. "But they're probably going to ask questions today."

"Show me the picture.", Mike ordered, stepping out of the elevator.

Jenny unlocked her phone and tapped on the screen a couple of times before handing the device to Mike with a worried smile. 

The picture was a bit blurry but still clearly showed him and Harvey kissing on the sidewalk in front of the bar.

"Oh my God.", he whispered.

The color drained from his face and he almost dropped the phone. 

"Simon wants to see you before the taping.", Jenny said with a reassuring smile. "He wants to prepare you."

"Ok.", Mike tried to breathe. "I'm going to go get changed. Tell him to meet me in my room in 20."

 

 

Harvey walked into the building with confidence and authority and quickly made his way up to his office.

"Morning.", Donna said when she saw him come in.

"Hey.", he replied with a smile.

He could already feel that keeping his poker face on was going to be hard today. He was tired and preoccupied. 

Donna followed him into his office, closed the door and settled on the couch.

"Tell me everything.", she smiled, crossing her legs.

"Donna.", he sighed. "Can we talk about it later ?"

"That bad ?", she asked, raising an eyebrow quizzingly.

"I'll tell you everything tonight, ok ?"

"Ok.", Donna conceded. "You're the boss after all."

She got up and stopped in front of Harvey's desk.

"Oh ! Mike is on The View at 11. I had the guy from IT install a little thing on your computer so we could watch it !", she smiled proudly.

Harvey pursed his lips rolled his eyes.

 

 

At 11, Donna was stretching lazily on the couch, her shoes discarded on the floor. Harvey was sitting next to her, flicking through a file.

"Put it down, Harvey, it's on !"

Whoopi Goldberg and her co-hosts entered the famous set and sat down around the coffee table, then a small clip showing what today's show would feature was launched.

"But first", Rosie O'Donnell announced. "I had the privilege of sitting down with the guys from Mike and The Harmony this morning. They're really cool, I can tell you they're going to be huge."

The screen showed a portion of the band's video for "Chicago" before Rosie O'Donnell, now sitting in a fancy hotel room came back on.

"I'm with Mike, Jenny, Trevor and Tess from Mike and The Harmony. How are you doing ?"

They all smiled and replied a "Really great, thank you !" in unison. 

Mike was wearing a tight white shirt and his trademark American flag bandana around the forehead. 

"Are you excited to be in New York ?"

"Yes.", Trevor replied. "It's really cool because we actually recorded most of our album here last year. It's like we've come full circle."

"We love New York.", Jenny added. "We had a concert in a really nice and cozy bar in Brooklyn last month, it was fantastic."

"What's your next destination ?"

"We're flying back to Toronto tonight.", Mike replied. "But we're going to Los Angeles in a week."

"LA is cool but New York is cooler.", the hostess deadpanned. "Mike, something came up this morning, I'm actually really glad you're here so we can get the scoop.", she smiled. "What is it ?", she said, handing an iPad to Mike.

A picture appeared on the screen and Harvey's heart missed a beat.

"Oh. My. God. Harvey.", Donna exclaimed, gaping at the computer.

Harvey watched as Mike gulped and smiled awkwardly.

"What does it look like ?", he asked with a smile, trying to sound cool and collected but looking anything but.

"For our viewers who haven't heard about it", Rosie explained. "This picture was taken yesterday night in front of the famous Fairytale Lounge. So Mike, I guess you didn't expect to make the news, did you ?", she smiled.

Mike smiled nervously.

"Well, I don't see how this is news. I don't have any problems with my sexual orientation.", he replied and Harvey could see a small frown forming between his eyebrows. "Of course, I didn't expect that someone would talk a picture and post it on the Internet..."

"And can we ask who this hunky gentleman is ?"

"No, I mean, not that I would tell you if I did, but I don't even know his name.", Mike giggled nervously. "I was _really_ drunk. I mean, we’re young and free and we like to enjoy ourselves. I’m not going to be upset about some meaningless shit, right ?" 

_Ouch. Fucking ouch._

The other members of the band laughed.

"You're already living the rock star life, I see ! Well, next time make sure there are no cameras around !", the hostess joked before moving on to another subject.

"Ouch.", Donna whispered, looking at Harvey and scanning his face for any kind of emotion. There were none. And that was a bad sign.

Harvey got up and stormed out of his office.

"Harvey wait !", Donna shouted but she could not chase him, she just shot a pathetic look at her shoes on the floor and sighed.

 

 

Harvey stopped running when he reached his building. He was panting heavily and sweat drops were rolling down his face. He crouched down next to a tree and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to figure out what to do.

Running from the office was stupid and childish but he knew Donna would cover for him. Why had he left anyway ? Mike was right, last night had been about enjoying themselves, and God they had, but Harvey couldn’t get over the words Mike had used to describe it.

He got back up and tried to focus. He needed to take a shower and change shirt but he had left everything at work except for his wallet.

There was only one option and Harvey spent the cab ride coming up with a credible explanation for an impromptu visit to his Mum.

 

 

“I feel like shit.”, Mike muttered, zipping his suitcase. “If I could get my hands on the guy who took the picture, I swear to God…”

“You did well.”, Trevor said from the doorway. “I wasn’t that bad. At least now people know you’re gay.”

“I’m not worried about that. It doesn’t bother me that people know. What bothers me is that people think they can poke their nose into my personal life and fucking share it on the Internet !”, Mike snapped.

“Come on Mike.”, Trevor laughed. “What did you expect ? You know how it works ! That’s called fame, you’d better start learning how to deal with it. And fast.”, he added with a proud smirk. “Besides, it could’ve been worse, it’s just a random fuck and the guy’s kinda hot. Think of it as good publicity.”

Mike swallowed thickly and shot him a look.

“Get off your high horse Mike, you’re not a rock star yet !”, Trevor said, leaving the room.

 

 

Harvey’s mother lived in a nice house in the Queens. She was a retired teacher and devoted her time to the community by benevolently tutoring underprivileged kids.

“Oh hi !”, she said when she opened the door. “Were we supposed to have lunch today again ?”

“Hey.”, Harvey replied, burrowing into her warm embrace. “No, I was in the neighborhood to meet a client and I needed a shower.”, he sighed. “Can I, -“

“Of course, of course.”, Helena cut him. “Is everything alright ?”

“Yeah.”, Harvey lied with a smile he hoped didn’t look too fake.

Helena took a closer look at her son. He looked upset, his face was closed and she could clearly see anger in his eyes. She knew something was off but she didn’t want to press the issue, he would tell her when he felt like it.

“Coffee ?”, she asked. “Are you hungry ?”

“No, I’m good, thank you.”, he replied with a tight-lipped smile. “I’m just gonna go upstairs and take a quick shower.”, he added, heading for the stairs.

“If you need to change your shirt.”, Helena said, marking a careful pause, gauging his reaction. “There are your father’s shirts in the guestroom.”

Harvey gripped the banister and closed his eyes.

“I’m ok. Thanks Mum.”, he managed before climbing the stairs hurriedly.

Showering did wash away the sweat and some of the tension, but it did not ease the disappointment, the anger and… the shame.

As he looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, Harvey felt ashamed. Ashamed of having fallen for the cute guy, of having been the random guy, the New York fuck, the _meaningless shit_.

He took a deep breath stretched his jaw.

“Come on, Specter. Pull yourself together !”, he said to his reflection.

He grabbed his tie and walked down the stairs.

“Feeling better ?”, Helena asked with a knowing smile.

She was cooking and it smelled delicious.

“Yeah.”, Harvey sighed, taking a seat around the kitchen table were two plates had been set.

“How’s Donna ?”

“Oh you know, she’s always fine.”, he replied with a smile.

“Has she found herself a nice boyfriend yet ?”

‘Nope. She doesn’t really believe in commitment, you know.”

Helena let a out a huff.

“That’s not true.”, she said. “Look at how long she’s been working for you, at how long you’ve been friends. She can most certainly commit to things. I’d say she’s afraid.”

“Maybe. Or she just wants to have fun.”

“Not getting involved is a choice, Harvey. It’s forced.”, she said, removing a dish from the oven. “There are many reasons why some people deliberately choose not to commit, and one of them is fear. Humans naturally get attached to each other, and avoiding attachment requires a lot more work than you’d think.”

“I guess.”, Harvey replied, holding a mouthful of lasagna to his mouth.

Helena put her hand on his and smiled fondly.

“Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you ?”, she asked, squeezing his hand.

“I’m ok, Mum.”, Harvey replied, wiping the corner of his mouth with his napkin.

“Sweetheart, you’re an open book, just like your father.”, she sighed. “I know you’re not ok.”

“Mum please.”

“Alright.”, she laughed softly. “You’re a grown man after all, you don’t need you old mama anymore, I get it.”

Harvey rolled his eyes and smiled broadly.

“There it is. The Specter smile.”, Helena said, kissing his cheek.

 

Harvey came back to work after lunch. And maybe it was the shower, or the lasagna, or just that some time had passed, but he was feeling better.

Donna smiled at him when he passed by her desk to enter his office.

“How was you client meeting ?”, she asked with a wink.

“Great.”, Harvey replied and winked back.

“Are we still on for tonight ?”, she asked.

“Yeah.”, he replied, taking off his jacket. “Hold my calls, I’ll be right back, I need to drop by the bullpen.”

“You may want to put your mask back on, though. You look way too kind.”

“Ok.”

Harvey turned his back to her, cleared his throat and took a deep breath. When he turned back around, he had a lopsided smirk on his lips and an eyebrow raised in a haughty manner.

She burst out laughing.

“That’s better.”, she confirmed.

 

“ _Good afternoon passengers. This is the pre-boarding announcement for flight 89B to Toronto. We are now inviting those passengers with small children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes time. Thank you._ ”

Mike trashed his empty paper cup and joined Trevor, Jenny, Tess and Simon in the boarding room.

Their final promo taping had gone smoothly and the subjects of his sexual orientation or the photo had not been addressed. They had been asked about their favorite dishes and animals, what their life was in Canada and how they had met.

Right after the interview, they had been chauffeured to the airport where they now were waiting to board.

“I can’t wait to sleep in my bed.”, Trevor yawned.

Mike took out his phone and began to type a text.

“Please, tell Harvey I’m”

He pressed the delete button and switched off his phone with a heavy sigh.


	5. The Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another hard chapter to write. I'm having difficulties trying to figure out where I want this to go. Like I have the big picture but I want to tell it right and make it interesting and fun to read for you. Anyway, this is shorter than I expected but I'm already working on the next chapter. Hope you like it, let me know !!!  
> Thank you so much for your nice comments, they're more than greatly appreciated.

“Oh my God, that was hot !”, Donna said, fanning herself with her hand when Harvey was done telling her about his night with Mike.

Harvey grinned and poked her in the ribs. They were sprawled out on each side of the couch, beer in hand. Empty pizza boxes and beer bottles were lying on the coffee table.

“See ?”, she said, taking a big gulp of her beer. “It’s not that bad ? Sure, the kid’s not really tactful, but you had a great time ! That’s what it’s supposed to be about, you know, a one-night stand. You just fuck, kiss goodbye and then it’s on to the next ! No strings attached.”

She held her beer in the air at the last words and sighed when Harvey didn’t repeat the gesture.

“Harvey.”, she said, straightening up on the couch. “I don’t get why you’re so upset. It’s not like Mike promised you anything. And from what you told me, it was rather consensual.”

“I’m not upset, I’m angry.”, Harvey corrected, playing with the strings at the waist of his sweatpants. “Angry with myself for not sticking to my principles. I knew how it was going to turn out and I still fell for it.”

“Good news Harvey, you’re human, just like the rest of us !”, Donna laughed, stroking his knee.

Harvey rolled his eyes.

“Well, at least Neal’s not the last man who slept in your bed anymore.”, she added.

“I saw him last night.”

“Oh yeah ? At the gay bar ?”

“Yeah, he was with a bunch of friends, he invited us to join him but I declined.”

“How was he ?”

“He was Neal. With his stupid grin and perfect face.”, Harvey chuckled. “Mike called him a living Ken doll !”

“Oh my God, he’s right !”, Donna giggled. “Another beer ?”

Harvey nodded.

“You know.”, he said as Donna was opening the fridge. “It felt great to not wake up alone this morning. I miss it.”

“I know.”, Donna replied. “Here.”

“Thanks.”, Harvey took the offered beer. “Neal texted me while I was at my Mum’s. He asked me to dinner.”

“Hum.”, Donna simply said, pursing her lips.

“You think it’s a terrible idea, right ?”

“It’s not for me to say, Harvey. I’m just saying that the last two times you guys had dinner together you ended up wondering why you had broken up with him.”

“Ok, first of all, I did not break up with him, it was a mutual decision. And second of all, it was months ago. Things have changed.”

“If you say so.”

“What ?”

“Harvey.”, she said with a concerned look. “You’re angry, you’re bored and you miss having someone in your life. I can understand that, but I don’t think you should jump on the first guy who asks you out.”

Harvey burst out laughing and covered his mouth in total disbelief.

“Are you fucking kidding me ?”, he asked, laughing out loud. “You’ve spent years touting the merits of one-night stands to me and now you’re basically saying I should wait until the wedding ?”

Donna laughed and they started wrestling on the couch.

"It's just not your thing Harvey.", she finally said, her head resting on his chest. "As much as I like having girls nights with you and hearing about the details of your sex life, I hate to see you upset. So if one night stands are not your thing, just go find yourself a boyfriend."

"What about Stephen ?"

"How did you-", she began to ask. "Mike."

"Yup."

"Well, we're having dinner tomorrow."

"You mean nothing happened yesterday ?"

"He kissed me."

"What ?", Harvey gently slapped her shoulder. "And when exactly were you planning on telling me ?"

"After your little moment of wallowing in self-pity.", Donna replied in a mocking tone.

"We should double date."

"I thought we agreed you were not having dinner with Neal."

"I never did.", Harvey corrected. "Come on, it's just a dinner."

"Fine.", she sighed. "I'm gonna go get the ice cream."    

 

 

Mike kicked his front door shut and leaned his back on it for a moment. He was so tired he wasn't even sure he could make it to his bed. He sat on the floor and took his phone out of his backpack. He had switched it off at the airport and forgot to put it back on when they landed. There were two 2 text messages and a dozen emails. The first text was from Jenny, telling him to get a good rest. The other one was a selfie of Donna lying down next to a sleeping Harvey, with a caption that said "You're a jerk. Your loss.". 

He rolled his eyes. What now ? What the hell had he done apart from trying to keep Harvey out of the whole picture ordeal ? He just sent a "???" and turned his phone back off.  He needed sleep, everything else could wait.     

 

 

"You shared an apartment with him for over a year, Harvey, everything you could wear would be fine. He's already seen you in every outfit possible.", Donna sighed, sitting on Harvey's bed and impatiently shaking her crossed legs.

Harvey was standing in his walk in closet, wearing only a pair of black briefs and randomly picking pieces of clothing.

"How about this ?", he asked, a pair of black pants and a white shirt in his hands.

"Boring.", she replied, chewing on her bottom lip. "Come on Harvey, I already told you what you should wear."

"Ok, fine, I'll wear this.", he sighed. "I still think it's too gay."

Donna chuckled. "It's only a t-shirt and a vest, Harvey. Straight guys wear that all the time. You're just not used to wearing the vest without the suit, that's all."

He looked at the picked outfit with a pout and began to dress.

"Hurry up, they'll be here any minute."

They had eventually decided to have dinner at Harvey's, on the patio and Donna had left work early in the afternoon to buy groceries and start the cooking.

Indeed, barely a minute after Harvey was finally ready, the doorbell rang. Stephen and Neal had arrived together, bearing gifts : flowers for Donna and a bottle of wine for Harvey from Stephen and a single rose and scotch for Harvey from Neal.

"Double date, uh ?", Neal asked, helping Harvey fix the drinks while Stephen and Donna were settling on the patio.

"I asked you and you said you didn't mind."

"I don't.", Neal smiled. "I'm just wondering why I'm here and not Mike."

Harvey raised an eyebrow at him.

"Come on Harvey, I saw the picture on Twitter, you guys totally fucked."

Harvey rolled his eyes and put the glasses on a tray.

"What ? He left before you woke up and he didn't call ?", Neal asked in a mocking, baby voice.

"It's none of your business Neal.", Harvey replied with a barely hidden smile.

"I knew it.", he exclaimed, fist-bumping the air with a grin. "Poor baby.", he teased, placing a hand on the small of Harvey's back.

"Let's go.", Harvey sighed and picked up the tray.

"Your ass looks absolutely gorgeous in these pants."

"Neal."    

 

 

Mike slept for almost 24 hours straight following his return to Toronto, only waking up to use the bathroom and eat an expired bagel. Jenny had called and left a message to say she was going to drop by later in the evening so Mike dragged himself out of bed and into the shower. Donna had not replied to his text and he was still trying to figure out why she thought he was a jerk. For all he knew, they had had a great time and it was actually Harvey who had ignored him in the car the next morning. Right before Jenny showed up, he sent another text to Donna, asking for Harvey’s number. He shook his head in amusement at the realization that he didn’t have it.    

 

 

Harvey opened his eyes and began to stretch when his right arm bumped into a warm body.

“Ouch.”, a sleepy voice murmured.

He turned his head and smiled apologetically. Neal was lying on his side and his eyes were still shut.

“Sorry.”, Harvey chuckled.

“I’ll forgive you if you kiss me.”, Neal said, pressing a sloppy kiss on Harvey’s shoulder.

Harvey rolled on his side, cupped his face with a hand and placed his lips on Neal’s.

“Mmm… Forgiven.”, Neal grinned.

They hadn’t had sex after their double date, they had made out on the bed for a long while before passing out. It had felt great to just kiss and roam his hands over the familiar body. And now it felt great to wake up next to someone, next to Neal.

“Harvey.”, Neal whispered, his hand caressing Harvey’s half-hard cock through his briefs.

He brushed his lips against Harvey’s teasingly and smiled when Harvey moaned into his mouth. Neal slid a hand inside Harvey’s briefs and grabbed his cock.

“I don’t know if it’s a good idea.”, he murmured in between kisses. “But I want to make love to you baby.”

Harvey’s cock twitched in his hand and Neal deepened the kiss.

“It’s a terrible idea.”, Harvey replied, breathless.

“Yeah, terrible.”, Neal agreed with a grin, pulling down Harvey’s briefs and shimming out of his.

“I want you baby.”, he moaned, resuming the kiss.

Harvey shivered and bit Neal’s bottom lip.

“You’re a naughty impatient boy.”, Neal smiled and licked his lips, giving Harvey’s thigh a gentle slap.

It felt like a perfectly rehearsed dance, their body immediately finding the right pace, their hands touching the right spots, their mouth whimpering in unison. Neal knew exactly how much prep Harvey needed and Harvey knew exactly what to say and do to send Neal over the edge. When Harvey came in a long low moan, Neal naturally followed, heavily breathing praises in his ear.

“I missed this.”, Harvey said, ruffling Neal’s soft brown locks. “I missed you.”

“Harvey. I’m seeing someone.”, Neal deadpanned.

Harvey’s body stilled.

“What do you mean ?”, he asked, knowing full well what he meant.

“I’ve been seeing someone for a month.”, Neal said, tilting his head up to look at Harvey.

“What ?”, he exclaimed. “Why didn’t you mention it before we…”, he violently untangled himself from Neal and sat back up. “Why did you even contact me ?”

Neal smiled fondly and tried to grab Harvey’s hand but he swatted it away.

“Come on, Harvey.”, Neal laughed. “I saw you the other night and I couldn’t resist, I wanted you one last time.”

Harvey climbed out of the bed and put his briefs back on.

“Get out.”, he snapped, leaving the room.

“Harvey, baby, come on !”, Neal called from the bed.

“Get the fuck out Neal !”, Harvey shouted, sliding the patio door open.  

Harvey was a really calm person. Getting a rise out him was almost impossible. It actually only happened twice and the unfortunate people who managed the impossible would probably remember their encounter with Harvey Specter for the rest of their life.

The first time Harvey completely lost his temper happened in high school. He had a best friend back then, a geeky-bookworm-shy guy named Harold, who would often get bullied by the school jocks. Harvey would always come up to his defense despite Harold’s claims that it just made it worse. One day, one of them physically threatened Harold and that was it. Harvey could do with the insults and bad jokes but he couldn’t stand for violence. Unfortunately, he responded to violence… with violence. He broke the guy’s jaw and ended up with a 3-week suspension and 6 months of anger management classes. But the bullying stopped and that was all that mattered to him.

The second time it happened, Harvey was 32. He was at the movies with his sister Ellen, then 26, and a man approached her while Harvey was getting their tickets. His sister looked embarrassed and politely declined his advances but the man didn’t seem to want to take no for an answer and grabbed her arm, making her jump in fear. Harvey saw red and, once again, threw a violent punch at the guy, probably breaking his nose if the bloodstain on the theatre carpet was any indication.  

So yeah, it had only happened twice but Harvey hated himself for having resorted to violence. He never yelled, never even raised his voice. At the firm, he was feared and his orders were followed. Outside from work, he was always calm and collected.

“Harvey.”, Neal said, joining him on the patio.

He placed a hand on his shoulder. Harvey tensed under the touch and his nostrils flared. Ever since his first boyfriend had cheated on him with one of their baseball teammates, cheating had been absolutely off-limits for him, he loathed the mere idea of it. Though he wasn't the one being cheated on this time, he still had been used as an accessory to the crime.

“I said get out.”, he muttered through gritted teeth.

“Look, I’m sorry Harvey, I just wanted to,-“

Neal stopped dead when he saw the look on Harvey’s face when he turned around. He gulped and put his hands up in defeat.

“Alright, I’m leaving.”, he giggled nervously. “Just don’t… Ok.”, he stuttered, backtracking.

Harvey heard the front door close a couple of minutes later and his phone bipped. He stepped back inside, seized his phone and slid his thumb on the screen to unlock it. It was a picture message from Donna. She was wearing no make-up and grinning. "Can you see the post-coital glow ? How was your night ?" she sent a couple of seconds later.

Harvey rolled his eyes and replied a quick : "You were right, I shouldn't have agreed to see Neal."

His phone instantly rang and he sent her to voicemail. He typed "Call you back later." and set the phone back on the kitchen counter. It rang again.

"I said later.", he snapped as he picked up.

"Harvey ?"

"Yeah, who is it ?"

"It's Mike."

"Oh sorry, hey Mike. I thought it was Donna again.", he automatically softened.

"Is that a bad time ?"

“No, it’s fine.”, Harvey replied in a sigh. “What can I do for you ?”

“I, uh, I spoke to Donna this morning and uh, I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“What do you mean ?.”, Harvey asked, crashing on the couch.

“She told me you watched the show.”, Mike said as if it explained everything. 

Silence.

“What I said…”, Mike continued. “I said it to protect you. I didn’t want them to further investigate. You’re a powerful attorney, it could have jeopardized your reputation, you know, I….”, Harvey heard him lick his lips. “I didn’t mean it.”

“Ok.”, Harvey said, almost whispering.

This was too much for a Saturday morning. First Neal and then Mike. 

“I’m sorry it upset you. I didn’t think you actually watched The View. I guess you’re pretty busy and everything with your firm and, I, uh, I’m sorry Harvey.”

Harvey took a deep breath. He could picture Mike’s worried face, he could picture him probably biting his lips and it made his heart clench.

“It’s ok.”, Harvey replied after a moment of silence. "You don't need to apologize. It's fine. I... Thank you for calling anyway. Have a good weekend."

"Oh ok. You too Harvey."

 

Mike hung up with a sigh. He had fucked up big time, there was no way he was going to see Harvey again. 

The thought depressed him. He picked up a rolled joint, put it to his mouth and lit it. He glanced at his guitar and smiled. The record label had already asked them to work on their second album and feeling depressed inspired him. He brushed his fingers on the strings and hummed.


	6. The Cover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter you guys :) Thank you so much for reading, hope you like this new development :) Have a great weekend !

Mike was adjusting his camera on the tripod next to the piano. It had been two weeks since their promo trip to New York and he had been compulsively writing since.

He had barely met with his friends, actually only one time to do a photo shoot and interview for People Magazine, which wanted to do a spread on newcomers.Their single, Chicago, was number two and on its way to become number one. Simon had asked for an emergency meeting later that afternoon because they needed to release a new single very soon and that implied shooting a video and doing more promotion and an American tour was in negotiation.

So Mike had decided to drop by the studio they rented and record a video for their YouTube page. He checked the screen one last time and pressed the record button.

“Hello everybody ! I’ve been writing a shitload of music lately and I wanted to share it with you.  _Giggles_. You know that I believe travel broadens the mind, right ? We had the best time in New York and I had some interesting encounters…  _Smiles_ _mischievously_. So I wrote this song. It’s called Chocolate and Cigarette. It’s still pretty raw and definitely needs more work but I wanted to thank you for making our single number two. Here it goes.  _Puts hands on keyboard and starts playing_.  

Living on a diet of chocolates & cigarettes

I wanna call you again

I'll drink tea sometimes when it's cold

This is getting old I call you again

Still too young to fail, too scared to sail away

But one of these days I'll grow old

And I'll grow brave and I'll go

One of these days

Blowing out the candles from my cake

I choke on the smoke as I look around the room

Everybody’s wishing for no more mistakes

And all that I can think about is you

Still too young to fail, to scared to sail away

But one of these days I'll grow old

And I'll grow brave and I'll go

One of these days

La da la da la da

Still too young to fail, too scared to sail away

But one of these days I'll grow old

And I'll grow brave and I'll go

One of these days

La da la da la da  

 _Smiles stupidly_. Hope you liked it !”

Mike got up and pressed the button to stop the recording. The band had been discovered through their YouTube page almost a year ago and he still liked to update it with covers or raw new material. Sometimes Jenny or Trevor would come sing or play with him.  

 

“Donna.”, Harvey called through the Intercom.

“What can I do for you Harvey ?”

“Have you sent someone to pick up my dry cleaning ?”, he asked.

“It’s being handed to your concierge as we speak.”

“Good. Thank you. Can send Thomas over please ?”

“Sure thing. He says you can call him Tom, you know ?”

“I’ll call him Tom when he stops calling me Mr. Specter.”

Since being appointed name partner 3 years ago, he had managed to deal with his usual workload and the added PR work that his new position required. But lately, it had become impossible and Harvey had just hired an associate to help him with the grunt work.

Tom was pretty, young, smart and eager to please. Being Harvey’s associate was his first job and Harvey could already see his potential, he was going to be a great lawyer one day. And to make sure that happened and because that’s what he was supposed to do as a mentor, Harvey was tough. Fair but tough.

“You wanted to see me ?”, the young man smiled nervously upon entering Harvey’s office.

“Yes.”, he replied, gesturing towards a stack of briefs. “I need this proofed by Monday. We’re having a partner’s meeting and we’ll need to review them.”

Tom pursed his lips and sighed.

“It doesn’t need to be done by tonight.”, Harvey said reassuringly. “You can take them with you and work from home this weekend.”

“Yeah. It’s just that…”

“What ?”

“I was supposed to fly to Toronto with my girlfriend for the weekend and I’ve got tickets to see Mike and The Harmony and…”

Harvey’s heart skipped a beat when he heard Mike’s name.

“Ok.”, Harvey conceded but with a serious tone. “It’s your first job so I’m gonna let it pass this time. But we’re a law firm, we work hard, and you’re not expected to enjoy weekends or evenings for at least 3 years.”

Tom blushed and nodded.

“I’ll take half of it and you have the rest of the day to do your half.”, Harvey said, cutting the stack in two.

“Thank you M. Specter.”, the young man said, gulping. “It won’t happen again.”

“No it won’t.”, Harvey replied with a smirk. “You may leave now,  _Thomas_.”

Tom blushed again and left the office with a polite nod.

“You totally love that he calls you Mr Specter.”, Donna said, entering his office.

“Maybe.”, Harvey smirked.

“And he’s a fan of Mike’s…”, she added. “Speaking of which, take a look at this.”

Harvey took the magazine Donna was handing to him with a confused look.

“Page 34.”

Harvey flipped through the pages and raised an eyebrow when he reached the page.

“Best newcomer…”, he read.

“I checked their YouTube page this morning. Mike had posted a new song and something tells me you should check it out.”, she winked.

Harvey looked at the pictures. Trevor, Jenny and Tess were sitting on a white leather sofa and Mike was sprawled on their knees, grinning at the ceiling. It was a nice picture.

“You’re smiling.”, Donna stated.

“Not I’m not.”, Harvey said, his lips tightening to suppress a smile.

“Great. Cause you know you’re not supposed to smile at work, right ? Even less when looking at a picture of your one-night stand.”

Harvey rolled his eyes and took a last look at the article before closing the magazine.

“I’m happy for him, he’s passionate about his music, he deserves the success.”

“YouTube dot com slash user slash Mike and the Harmony.”, she said, going back to her desk.

Harvey was about to open a new page in his web browser when his office phone rang.

“Specter.”

“Hey Harvey, it’s Neal.”

Harvey sighed.

“What do you want Neal ?”

“I’m in jail, I need a lawyer.”

“Wait, what ? Where ? Why ?”, Harvey asked in a panicked tone, already folding his cell phone and wallet into his suits pocket.

“I’m at the 19th precinct. Can you come ? Please ?”

“I’ll be right there.”, Harvey replied. “Don’t talk to anybody until then, you hear me ?”

“Yeah. Thank you Harvey.”

He hung up and called Ray.

“Donna, cancel my meeting with Jessica and hold my call for the afternoon, Neal’s in custody.”

“What ? Why ?”, she exclaimed.

“I don’t know yet.”, he replied, rushing towards the elevator.    

 

Harvey got to the station a half hour later.

“Harvey Specter, I’m here to see my client Neal Caffrey.”, he said to the police officer behind the reception counter.

“I’m sorry ?’’, the man replied.

“Harvey Specter, I’m here to see my client who’s being held in custody.”, he repeated sharply, eyes dark, face and body language in full lawyer mode.

“What’s his name ?”, the officer lazily asked, typing on his computer.

“Neal Caffrey. C.A.F.F.R.E.Y.”, Harvey spelled impatiently.

“Oh yeah.”, the man smirked. “He’s being interrogated right now, I’m afraid you can’t see him.”

“Excuse me ?”, Harvey calmly asked, his left hand turning into a tight fist on the counter. “I think you don’t understand. I’m his lawyer. Ever heard of Miranda Rights ?”

“Calm down, Sir or I’ll have to arrest you.”, the officer warned. “Mr. Caffrey had been read his rights and he refused to have a lawyer during interrogation.”

Harvey snorted.

“He called me 30 minutes ago and asked me to come down.”, Harvey replied, trying to keep a cordial tone. “And I asked him to keep his mouth shut until I arrived. So let me get this straight Mr ?", he wrinkled his nose but continued since the man didn't bother to state his name. "Either Mr Caffrey’s a masochist and would rather refuse the help of New York’s best lawyer,  _yes that’s me_ , or your computer is wrong. So, which is it do you think ?”, he asked in a low menacing voice, brow furrowed.

The officer pursed his lips.

“Wait here, Mr ?”

“Specter.”, Harvey replied through clenched teeth.

“Right. Wait here. I’m going to check on him.”

Harvey exhaled loudly and took a quick look around the waiting area when he noticed that everybody was staring at him. There was a woman with a little boy on her lap, a homeless man, a teenager girl holding hands with what probably was her boyfriend, a pregnant woman who quickly went back to typing on her phone when her eyes met with Harvey’s and a middle-aged man who was looking over his newspaper. He cleared his throat and smiled shyly at the little boy who was literally gaping at him with fearful eyes. His mother smiled back and the little boy frowned. Harvey frowned back with a smile, making the little boy grin.

“Harvey Specter.”, a familiar voice called from behind his back. “What a nice surprise.”

He turned around and was faced with his ex boss, Cameron Dennis, District Attorney.

“Cameron.”, he replied, holding out his hand.

Things had not really ended well when he had left the DA’s office 10 years ago. But he was a professional and, being a lawyer, he couldn’t afford to be rude to the DA.

“Let me guess.”, Cameron smiled dangerously, ignoring the offered handshake. “You’re here for Mr America’s Next Top Model. I thought you two were  _dunzo_.”, he mocked.

“I’m not here to discuss my personal life with you Cameron, though I might say I’m flattered you’re such a fan.”, Harvey laughed sarcastically. “Keeping track of my love life ? Now  _that’s_  an important mission for the DA.”

Cameron stepped closer to him and smirked.

“You don’t have to pretend with me Harvey.”, he whispered in a calm but threatening tone. “I know you’re a _fucking faggot_ and a pussy. No amount of expensive clothing and hair gel could cover your true nature. I know who you are.”

Harvey bit the inside of his cheek and took a deep breath.

“Are you here to take me to Neal ? Because if you aren’t, I advise you to leave me the hell alone.”, he whispered back.  

“Ooh I see Jessica Pearson made you grow a pair ! How cute !”, Cameron huffed. “This way pretty boy.”, he said, walking to the elevators.

 

Mike stretched loudly on his new couch. 

They just had been awarded a great chunk of the money their album had already grossed and Mike had bought a new couch. Not a new place, not a new TV, not the lastest PlayStation. A couch. It had always been his favorite piece of furniture. He had never imagined settling down, decorating a home or even buying a couch. Everything he owned was second-hand because he had imagined living his life on the road, in a van, going from one place to another to meet people, write songs about freedom and sleep on peaceful beaches. That was before the band signed a record deal and that life on the road became real. He now felt the need to have a home from the road. A home to go to to feel free again, free from interviewers, camera lenses and hours in airport waiting rooms.

They were leaving Toronto for New York in two weeks to appear at the MTV Awards. In a week they would release a new single and if everything went according to plan, he would not see his home for more than a week straight in the next 6 months. And tomorrow night, the band was giving their biggest concert to date at the Air Canada Center. Very exciting but also scary as hell.

He took his phone and snapped a picture of himself. He sent it to Donna. She had proved to be the kind of woman who did selfies. He wrote "I just bought a new couch. How are you ? How's Harvey ?" and pressed Send. 

He could not explain why she was the first person he thought of to tell about his new couch but she was. Well, maybe the fact that she seemed to spend most of her time with Harvey had a little something to do with it. And he knew she'd make him smile.

"You look like a sick puppy. Get some rest. I'm fine. In love I think. Harvey ? He's at a police station trying to get his ex out of custody."

"You mean the Ken doll ex or another ex I should know about ?"

"I mean Neal. And there is nothing you SHOULD know about Harvey."

He took a picture of himself with a pout and the saddest eyes he could master and sent it with "Why so mean ?"

"Now I know why Harvey couldn't say no to you."

"I know I'm irresistible. Coming to NYC in 2 weeks. Want tickets to the MTV Awards ?"

":D"

"I'll send them to the firm."

"You're a cute puppy."

"Say Hi to Harvey. Oh and to Stephen ;)"

";)"

 

 

"What the hell Neal ?", Harvey said, running a hand through his hair and messing it.

"I know.", Neal replied, licking his lips nervously. "I messed up, I'm an idiot."

"You _messed up_ ?", Harvey laughed out loud nervously. "You're facing up to 10 years in jail, what were you goddamn thinking ?"

"I know Harvey ! I'm a complete idiot, I know that ! You don't think I feel bad about it ? You don't think I'm scared to go to jail ?", Neal replied, screaming.

They were on the sidewalk just outside the police station. Harvey had managed to bail Neal out by promising to stay with him until the preliminary hearing, which had been scheduled for the next day. The charges were pretty serious : Neal was accused of drug trafficking. His boyfriend had asked to bring a briefcase, which happened to be full of pot, to a friend of his, who happened to have been preceded by cops.

"You didn't even ask him what was in the briefcase ?", Harvey asked, hailing a cab.

"No, he told me they were important papers... I trusted him, I couldn't have known."

"You trusted him ? You've known him for two fucking minutes !", Harvey laughed bitterly again. "I'm gonna do my best Neal, and you know I will, you know I'm the best but _God_ ! We only have one night to prepare the hearing and if we can't find something by tomorrow morning, you'll be sent to jail until the trial."

"I know, Harvey ! I fucking know !", Neal shouted, rubbing his face, his eyes full with tears.

Harvey softened when he saw the distress in his ex lover's eyes.

"I'm sorry Neal.", he said, pulling him into a comforting hug. "Let's go home, see how we can play this."

 _Home_. He had said "home". He internally rolled his eyes and opened the cab door.

"I've got to stop by the office first and then we'll drop at your place so you can grab some change.", he said, his hand on Neal's shaking knee. "It's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay.", he repeated like a mantra while the cab headed to Pearson Specter.

 

"Harvey, I-", Donna began to say. "Hey Neal.", she added in a scornful tone.

"Hey Donna.", Neal replied with a tentative smile which she brushed off with a roll of the eyes.

"Donna.", Harvey whispered. "Please."

"Fine.", she said sharply. "So what have you done again Neal ?"

"Donna.", Harvey repeated this time through the Intercom.

"What ? I can't even talk to him ?"

Harvey stepped out of his office.

"I'm not staying and I won't come in tomorrow. Please reschedule all my meetings and call me if there is something important, ok ?", he said.

"Aren't you going to tell me what's going on ?", she asked with a snort.

"Not now.", Harvey replied with an apologetic smile. "Neal's got a preliminary hearing tomorrow and I don't have much time to prepare his defense.", he added. "And make sure Thomas's done with his stack of briefs before he leaved."

"Alright.", Donna sighed. "Call me. Oh ! And Mike says hi."

Harvey blushed and nodded.

"Let's go.", he said, grabbing Neal's elbow.

 

"This is fucking insane.", Harvey murmured, sipping on his wine. "How the hell am I supposed to convince a judge you didn't know what was in the briefcase ?"

They had been sitting in Harvey's living room for most of the evening. There was a barely touched pizza and a bottle of wine on the coffee table.

Neal's "boyfriend", Dante Burden ( _yes_ ) had hired a friend of Harvey and he had told him that his client intended on dragging Neal with him. And Neal didn't really have a clean criminal record. He had been arrested for solliciting a year ago and before that for drug use when he was 22. He wasn't using anymore, never had been a regular user, but still, it didn't look good.

They were now rehearsing the hearing, Harvey playing both his role and the judge. 

"They have to believe me. It's my word against his.", Neal sighed.

"I know you but the judge doesn't. What he's going to see is a pretty face trying to charm his way out of prison.", Harvey replied, holding his notes.

"I guess I should hire another lawyer then.", Neal smiled. "The judge is going to see a pretty face trying to charm his way into freeing his client."

"It's not funny.", Harvey snapped. "I know the DA and he hates my guts. He's not going to make it easy for me, for us."

"I know. Sorry, I just...", Neal sighed again. "I'm just so freaking scared. I can't go to prison, Harvey."

Harvey sat on the couch and cupped Neal's face with his hands.

"And I'm not going to let that happen.", he said in a serious tone. 

Neal looked down and took a deep breath.

"Look Harvey.", he said. "I'm sorry about what happened two weeks ago."

"Don't worry about it. Let's focus on tomorrow. Let's go over this one more time, ok ?"

"Ok", Neal whispered, straightening up on the couch.

"So Mr Caffrey..."

 

 

Mike was lying in bed, unable to find sleep. The big show was coming up and he knew he needed to rest because his voice needed rest to come out clearly, his body needed rest to jump from the guitar to the piano, but he could only stare at the ceiling. He suddenly felt alone and would have given the world to have arms to cuddle in, a warm body to press against and a soft voice to soothe him. _Harvey's_.

Frustrated, he grabbed his guitar and dialed Harvey's number, ready to reach his voicemail. If he couldn't sleep, he could still play him a little something, right ?

"Hello."

"Oh, Harvey. Did I wake you up ?"

"Hey Mike. No. I can't sleep.", he heard Harvey sigh.

"Me neither...", he replied. "You sound worried."

"I am. I am representing Neal in court tomorrow..."

"Donna told me. What happened ?"

"He got busted for drug trafficking.", Harvey explained. "He didn't do it but it's going to be hard to prove."

"That's bad.", Mike confirmed. "But you're the best lawyer he could have, right ?"

"I don't know.", Harvey chuckled sleepily. "I'm not sure Mike."

"Come on Harvey ! You know you're the best."

"He's scared shitless. I need to get him out of this mess."

"You will, Harvey.", Mike insisted. "You just need to trust yourself. I've seen you in your lawyer costume, you're pretty scary."

"Like you said, it's a costume.", Harvey sighed. "It works for corporate deals and mergers but... it's almost personal here, it's a little too close to home."

"Focus on the fact that you believe he's innocent. Not that he's Neal. Make it not personal. It's your job to help innocent people stay out of jail too, right ?"

"Yeah..."

"And you're the best at what you do, right ?"

"Yeah...", Harvey reluctantly agreed.

"Then don't worry.", Mike concluded. "You know what ? I've got an idea. You know Katy Perry ?"

"Well, yes, I've heard of her.", Harvey laughed. "Why ?"

 _His laugh_. Mike's heart clenched in his chest as he put his phone on speaker and grabbed his guitar.

"She's got this song, Roar, about self-confidence. Let me sing it to you, see if it helps you."

He heard Harvey laugh again and he could almost see him shake his head in amusement.

"Just put the phone on speaker and relax, ok ?"

"Ok."

Mike began to brush the strings and sing a slightly different version of Katy Perry's song, making up lyrics to fit Harvey's story. When he was done, he put the phone to his ear.

"So ?", he asked in a hopeful tone.

The other end of the line was silent, he could only hear a soft snore. He put his guitar down and lay back down. He fell asleep minutes later, Harvey's snore soothing him through the speaker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oohhh and the song Mike posts on YouTube, it's from Angus and Julia Stone. http://vimeo.com/58182236 Check it out, it's beautiful.


	7. The Call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, I completely messed up with the days, the last chapter was supposed to be taking place on a Friday (with Tom leaving for the weekend and everything) so let's just pretend court hearings can happen on a Saturday and that Harvey has meetings on Saturdays as well (since he asked Donna to reschedule them...), ok ? *smiles sheepishly*  
> Anyway, here's the new chapter. Hope you enjoy it !!!  
> Thank you so so much for the ever amazing feedback.

"Your Honor.", Harvey said as a conclusion to his defense speech. "This is a personal vendetta, and the DA has no concrete evidence against my client. Not only do I want no bail, I want you to throw this case out right now."

The judge pursed her lips and her eyes wandered from Cameron to Harvey, back to Cameron again.

"Well, I'm not gonna do that.", she replied. "But I'll tell you something, Mr. Dennis, I am setting bail at $1. And if you don't have any evidence, I'm gonna hear his motion for summary judgment, rule in his favor, and this trial is going to be over before it even starts."

Cameron shot a dangerous in Harvey's direction to which Harvey replied with his trademark smirk.

"Alright.", he said. "Let him go. I'm dropping the charges against Neal Caffrey." He turned to Harvey. "But don't think this is over little bitch.", he whispered.

"Mr. Dennis, I do hope you did not just threaten opposing counsel. This is a courtroom, not a playground.", the judge warned. "Mr. Specter, what did Mr. Dennis say to you ?"

Harvey narrowed his eyes and smiled.

"Oh, he did not threaten me your Honor.", he replied. "In fact, he very nicely complimented me. Told me I was the best lawyer he'd ever had to face. Nice, right ?", he replied, gathering his files and leaving, Neal in tow.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When they reached the steps outside the courtroom, he burst out laughing.

"Oh my fucking God Neal, I can't believe we won !", he said, holding a hand to his mouth in disbelief.

Neal grinned.

" _You_ did it Harvey. Thank you so much."

"No _we_ did it, Neal, trust me, you handled yourself very well in there.", Harvey replied, exhaling loudly. "Cameron Dennis is a snake, he could've crushed you."

Neal smiled and pulled him into a hug. When they broke apart, he pressed his forehead to Harvey's and kissed him. Urgently first and then, once the need to release the pressure was fulfilled, more gently, even passionately. Harvey kissed back, his heart clenching in his chest because he knew what this meant. This was a farewell kiss.

"Thank you Harvey.", Neal finally whispered, breaking the kiss. "I owe you one.", he added, brushing his thumb over Harvey's lips.

They both closed their eyes and Neal finally stepped back with a sad smile.

"I wish you all the best Harvey."

"You too Neal", Harvey replied. "And behave for God's sake.", he added with a playful smile.

Neal smiled, made a salute and walked away

 

 

"How was the concert ?", Harvey asked when Tom entered his office on Monday morning.

"Wha... ?", the young associate asked, looking confused. When he was sure Harvey was talking to him, his face lit up. "Oh it was _awesome_. The best show I've ever seen. They're so good !"

Harvey smirked. 

"Good.", he said.

After a couple of seconds Tom's brow furrowed in confusion again.

"Is that why you wanted to see me ? To ask me about the concert ?", he asked.

"Yup."

"Ok. Then I'll... I'll go back to work."

Tom left the office and looked at Donna with a dumbfounded look. She shrugged and resumed her typing when her phone rang.

"Harvey Specter's office, this is Donna, how can help you ?"

"Hey Donna."

"Hey Mike !", she said loudly to make sure Harvey heard her. "How are you ? I heard the concert was _awesome._ "

"Yeah, it was great.", Mike laughed. "Did you get the tickets ?"

"No yet."

"Good. Well, it doesn't matter, because I've got something else for you."

"Ok, what is it ?"

"How would you like to be my plus one at the Awards ?"

Donna squealed and jumped on her seat.

"You mean I'll get to walk the red carpet with you and sit in the front row ?", she asked, shouting.

"Yes.", Mike chuckled. "Though we're not going to be sitting in the front. You know, we're only nominated in one category and it's against Coldplay, Arcade Fire and Muse ! There is no way we're winning this. So that's a yes ?"

"Of course it's a yes !", Donna exclaimed. "Oh my God, do we also get to go to the after party ?"

"We don't have to but we're invited.", Mike replied. "And about that... Do you think Harvey would like to go ? I mean, I've sent two tickets and I thought Harvey and Stephen could use them."

"I'll do my best Mike, but you know him...", she replied. "I'll try but I really don't think he'll say yes. Oh God, I can already imagine how long it would take him to choose what he'd wear...", she sighed dramatically.

"I have faith in you Donna. You know he can't say no to you."

"I'll do my best, I promise."

"Let me know ! I gotta go now."

"Have a good day, Mike.”

 

 

“He what ?”, Ellen asked with a gasp. “I always knew he was trouble. He’s too good to be true.”, she laughed softly.

Harvey and Ellen usually met once or twice a month, over lunch.

“Anyway, I got the charges dropped. But it was a close call.”, Harvey said, putting a mouthful of pastas into his mouth.

“Are you seeing someone ?”, his sister asked with a mischievous smile.

“No. Why ?”

“I don’t know.”, she replied. “You just seem happy.”

“And I can’t be happy if I’m single ?”, Harvey laughed.

“You know you can’t, Harv. This is the longest you’ve been without a partner.”

“Well, maybe I decided to be on my own for a while ?”

“Maybe. Or you’re seeing someone and you don’t want to tell me.”, Ellen smiled.

Harvey blushed and took a sip of his water.

“Ok, _maybe_ there’s someone.”, he smiled. “But I’m not seeing him, he lives in Toronto.”

“Online dating ?”

“God no !”, Harvey replied with a disgusted face. “We met here in New York, he has a band and Donna dragged me to their show. We, uh, we hooked up.”

“And now you’re in love.”, Ellen deadpanned. “Story of your life Harvey.”

“I’m not in love, I barely know him !”, Harvey scoffed.

“Come on, I know you. That’s how you work.”, she said. “Does he like you ? Did he call you ?”

“I don’t know. He’s friends with Donna, he asks about me though.”

Ellen smiled and blushed when her phone rang loudly in the restaurant.

“Shit, I forgot to silence it.”, she muttered, picking up. “Ellen Specter.” “Hey Paul. I’m having lunch with-“ “Wait, what ?” “Of course I’m freaking out !” she started sobbing “Oh my God !” “No, I’m with Harvey, we’re…” “Yeah ok. I’ll text you the address.” “Thank you.”

She hung up the phone and took her head in her hands.

“What’s going on ?”, Harvey asked worriedly.

“There’s… There’s been a shooting at Mum’s school.”, she cried. “Paul and his team managed to… kill the shooter but… Mum’s been shot.”

Harvey’s heart dropped in his chest. His vision blurred as tears started pooling in his eyes. He wanted to ask if she was… but he couldn’t speak. He felt the room spinning around him before Ellen speaking pulled him back to reality.

“She’s alive Harvey. They’re taking her to the hospital.”, she explained, placing her hand on Harvey’s trembling hand. “Paul’s coming to pick us up.”

Harvey’s breath came out ragged, he still couldn’t speak and just nodded. Ellen quickly straightened herself up upon seeing the look on her brother’s face. She was the strongest Specter, she normally didn’t do emotions.

“She’s going to be fine, Harvey.”, she whispered, laying her credit card on the table and gesturing towards the waiter.

A couple of minutes later, they were on the sidewalk, waiting for Paul. Harvey still hadn’t said a word, he was clinging on Ellen’s arm, eyes unfocused. She typed a text to Donna to tell her about the situation and to let her know that Harvey wasn’t going to be able to attend his afternoon meetings if had some.

A SWAT van pulled over in front of the restaurant and Paul got of the driver’s seat. He walked to them and pulled his sister into a hug.

“Let’s go.”, he said, patting Harvey’s shoulder.

The ride to the hospital was silent, Harvey and Ellen sitting between two of Paul’s teammates in the back of the van.

She had to be fine, she had to, Harvey thought, his fingernails pushing hard against the inside of his hands and leaving angry red marks.

 

“Mrs Specter’s in surgery.”, a nurse explained when they finally got to the hospital. “The doctor will update you as soon as she’s out. It might be a while though. Take a seat.”

Paul had discarded his bulletproof jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his black cotton long-sleeved t-shirt. He and Harvey were identical, same built, same height, same moles. The only difference was their hair color as Paul’s was two or three shades lighter than Harvey’s. And that he did not style it at all.

“Harvey.”, he said, sitting on the chair next to his twin. “I saw her, she was awake and breathing. She’s going to be fine.”

He looked at his brother with a reassuring but concerned smile. Harvey still hadn’t spoken, his nostrils were flared and his jaw clenched.

“Say something Harvey, please.”, he said, placing a hand at the back of Harvey’s neck and squeezing gently.

Harvey shook his head and gulped.

Ellen came back with 3 coffee paper cups from the coffee cart outside the hospital.

“I told her it wasn’t safe.”, she muttered, taking a seat opposing her brother’s. “She needs to move out of this neighborhood.”

“You know she’ll never agree to that.”, Paul sighed. “This house is all she has left from Dad.”

Harvey tilted his head up and looked at his brother.

“Don’t talk about Dad.”, he tried to snap at Paul but his voice was too raspy to sound dangerous.

Paul looked away and pursed his lips. He had never been very close to his Dad when Harvey’d always been his favorite. Well, Harvey was his Mum’s favorite too. And since their Dad had passed away, Harvey had demanded that his name never be mentioned in front of him again.

“Harvey.”, Ellen said in a gentle voice. “It’s getting ridiculous. Paul was just saying that-“

“Shut up !”, Harvey jumped to his feet and left the waiting room.

“Harvey !”, Ellen called but Paul grabbed her arm and shook his head slowly. There was no way to reason Harvey when it came to their Dad.

Harvey stepped out of the hospital and took a deep breath. Snapping at people was something that he barely did and yet, it had happened twice recently. He immediately regretted his behavior and was thinking about going back and apologizing when his phone rang.

“Hello.”, he answered weakly.

“Harvey ? It’s Mike !”

“Hey Mike. I’m sorry but it’s not a good time, I-“

“I know Harvey,”, Mike cut him. “Donna called me. How’s she ?”

“She’s in surgery.”

“Ok.”, Mike replied. “How are you holding up ?”, he continued in a soft voice.

The obvious and sincere concern in Mike’s voice was all it took to open the floodgates.

“Harvey don’t cry, she’s going to be fine.”, Mike said tentatively.

“Oh my God.”, Harvey cried.

Mike’s heart clenched in his chest and he remembered the look on Harvey’s face when they were looking at his pictures. He remembered his wet eyes and the sadness radiating from them.

“I can catch a plane and be with you in 4 hours if you need me.”, Mike said, already opening a duffle bag.

He could hear the heavy sobs coming from the other end of the line.

“Harvey, talk to me.”, he pleaded. “Do you want me to come ?”

“Yes.”, Harvey eventually replied sniffing. “Please.”

Mike closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Alright, I’ll let you know when I land ok ? Don’t worry Harvey, be strong.”

“Thank you.”

Mike hung up and quickly stuffed a couple of underwear and jeans and t-shirt into his bag. He then called his manager.

“Hey Simon, it’s Mike.” “I’m good, yeah, look, a friend of mine needs me right now, I’m going to fly over to New York for a couple of days.” “I know. Fly them to New York too if this cannot wait but I’m going.” “No, but his mother got shot today.” “Yeah.” “Ok, thanks a lot. Please email me the e-ticket. Yeah bye.”

 

Exactly 4 and a half hours later, he was walking, well running, down the landing area. Donna had told him Paul would be waiting for him.

Mike smiled when he saw him, dressed in black army pants and t-shirt and looking down at his phone.

“Hey.”, he said when he reached him.

“Mike ?”, Paul asked with a smile and Mike’s heart skipped a beat.

Paul _was_ another Harvey.

“Yeah.”, he smiled back.

“That’s very nice of you to come all the way from Canada.”, he said, walking to the exit.

“Donna called me.”, Mike explained. “She said Harvey would need support. How’s your mother ?”

“She came out of surgery 2 hours ago, she’s still asleep. But the doctors say she’s going to be fine.”, Paul replied, climbing into a Prius. “I’m glad you’re here, Donna was right to call you because Harvey won’t talk to us.”

Mike nodded and buckled his seat belt. He glanced at Paul discreetly. He wondered how it was possible for two people to look so alike. The way their mouth moved when they spoke, the wrinkles at the corner of their eyes when they smiled… but Paul’s eyes were sterner, there was something different. Less kind.

“Are you in the army ?”, Mike asked.

Paul chuckled.

“Nope, I’m captain of the New York SWAT team.”, he replied.

“Wow, badass.”, Mike whistled. “Hence the look.”, he added mockingly.

Paul rolled his eyes and nudged him with his elbow.

“My team was called to the school when the shooting happened.”, he said somberly.

Mike bit his bottom lip. _Of course_.

“It’s not that we don’t always give 100% of ourselves all the time but you know…”, he added. “When your Mum’s involved… You just want to shoot the guy, to plant a bullet in his skull. But you can’t. You need to negotiate, to try to talk him into surrendering.”

He paused for a moment and, once again, Mike could see Harvey. Harvey and his wise silences.

“I couldn’t do it.”, he giggled nervously. “I’m the captain, I’m supposed to do the talking. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t talk to the guy who shot my Mum.”

Mike could see Paul’s face tensing with anger and pain.

“She’s going to be ok.”, he just said, because that’s what you’re supposed to say. That’s all you can say.

 

 

When they finally arrived at the hospital, a nurse guided them to Helena’s room.

Paul knocked and quietly opened the door.

Ellen was sitting on a chair, reading a magazine. She put her index finger to her lips with a smile when they entered the room and tilted her head towards the bed.

Harvey was sleeping on a chair, his head resting on one folded arm on the bed, his other hand holding his Mum’s. Helena was lying on her back, a thick bandage covering her left shoulder and upper arm.

“Coffee ?”, Paul whispered.

“Yes please.”, Ellen replied, smiling broadly at Mike and getting up. “I need some fresh air, I’m going to get them. Join me Mike ?”

“Sure.”, Mike replied with a shy smile.

She was beautiful. Long curly chestnut brown hair pulled into a messy ponytail, dark eyes and a lean body. She had a killer smile, it definitely ran in the family.

“So Mike.”, she smiled when they stepped outside the room. “You’re a friend of Harvey’s ?”

“Uh, yeah.”, Mike replied. “Are you Ellen or Geraldine ?”

“I’m Ellen.”, she replied, holding the door for him. “Geraldine lives in California. She might be visiting this weekend but she’s not sure yet.”

“Ok then nice to meet you Ellen.”, Mike smiled.

“Nice to meet you too Mike. Harvey and I talked about you at lunch today.”, she said and then ordered 4 cups of coffee.

“Oh.”

“I asked Harvey why he looked so happy and he admitted that there was someone.”, she winked. “And since Donna suggested that we let you know what happened to Mum, I guessed you were that someone.”

Mike blushed.

“I’m not sure I’m _someone_.”, he air quoted. “But yeah, Harvey and I met a couple of months ago and we kept in touch.”

She smirked at him and handed him the carton cup carrier.

“Harvey’s a sensitive man, I guess you have noticed.”, she began to explain. “But there are two main topics that he’s not only sensitive about, but also uncompromising. Mum and Dad. He’s very close to her and he was very close to Dad.”, she sighed. “Mum is going to be alright but he’s shaken. And when… When Dad passed away he stopped talking to us for almost a year. When he’s sad or worried or heartbroken, he stops talking. He shuts down. When it’s too much for him to handle, he closes on himself.”

Mike nodded and pursed his lips.

“He may not talk to you for a while.”, she continued. “Don’t push him. He will talk to you eventually. He won’t to us.”

He didn’t know Harvey that much. He had witnessed Harvey’s sensitiveness and had seen what talking about his Dad had provoked but he didn’t know if he was the right person for the job.

“Okay.”, he replied. “I get it.”

“Good.”, Ellen concluded, knocking on the bedroom’s door.

Harvey was awake, yawning and tapping on his phone. When he heard them come in, he lifted his head and smiled at Mike.

“Hey.”, Mike said, not knowing what to do.

Was he supposed to hug him ? Harvey seemed to be wondering the same thing as he got up before quickly sitting back down.

Ellen distributed the coffee cups and picked her handbag from the floor.

“I’m going to head home with the kids until Antony comes back from work and I’ll be back then ok ?”, she said, waving at the three men. “Let me know when she wakes up.”

“We will.”, Paul replied. “Thanks for the coffee.”

“Yeah, thank you.”, Harvey added.

“See you later.”, she said, blowing a kiss.

“Take my chair, Mike.”, Paul said, stretching loudly. “I’ve gotta go back to the station and file my report. I’ll try to drop by before visiting hours are over.”

When he was gone, a heavy silence filled the room.

Mike and Harvey stared at each other for a few seconds before Mike smiled.

“It’s good to see you.”, he said.

Harvey looked down and smiled.

“Thank you for coming.”, he said. “Did you have a nice flight ?”

“Yeah, it’s not that far.”

“Harvey ?”

Helena had opened her eyes and was swallowing thickly.

“Mum !”, Harvey exclaimed, climbing onto the bed and taking her hand in his. “How are you ?”

“Stop yelling sweetheart, please.”, she smiled weakly. “I’m good.”

“Oh God.”, Harvey sighed loudly. “You scared the shit out of us.”

“Language.”, she snapped and then chuckled fondly. “May I ask who this fine young man is ?”

“Mum, this is Mike. A fr-.”, Harvey said, blushing. “Mike, this is my Mum, Helena.”

Mike approached the bed and shook the offered soft hand.

“Nice to meet you Mrs Specter.”, he said politely.

She looked from her son to Mike and smiled wickedly.

“Nice to meet you too Mike. And please, call me Helena.”

“Right.”, Mike replied.

“Paul and Ellen were just there, they’re coming back later.”, Harvey informed his Mum.

“Call them and tell them I woke up and they can see me tomorrow morning, alright ?”, she said, her eyelids already half-closed. “I need to rest and you gentlemen need to get some sleep too.”

“Ok Mum.”, Harvey reluctantly agreed. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He kissed her forehead and picked up his jacket.

“I’d kill for a pizza.”, Mike said in a yawn as they were calling a cab.

“Wanna order in ?”, Harvey asked. “I mean, did you plan on staying at my place ?”

“Of course I did.”, Mike winked. “Yeah, let’s order pizza. Do you have beers ?”

Harvey nodded and picked up his phone to call his brother and sisters.

 

 

“I need to take a shower.”, Harvey said, kicking off his shoes.

“I’ll order the pizza.”, Mike replied and he dropped his duffle bag on the ground. “Where’s your menu ?”

“I don’t have one.”

“O.K.”

“Just Google something, alright ?”

Mike burst out laughing and grabbed his iPad.

When Harvey came out of his room, Mike had changed into his pajamas and Mike was opening the beers.

“The pizzas are coming.”, he said, handing a bottle to Harvey.

Harvey nodded and crashed onto the couch with a loud sigh.

“You didn’t tell me how it went with Neal… I mean the hearing.”, Mike said, joining him.

“We won. They dropped the charges.”, Harvey replied with a proud smile.

“Told you you could do it.”

Harvey almost downed his beer in one gulp and burped loudly.

“And you call me disgusting ?”, Mike laughed.

“I had a rough day, I’m allowed to burp.”

Mike raised his bottle and clinked it to Harvey’s.

“To rough days !”, he exclaimed before taking a quick sip.

“I’m glad you’re here.”, Harvey said.

“Me too.”, Mike replied.

He placed his hand on Harvey’s thigh and turned to face him.

“How are you feeling ?”, he asked, almost whispering.

“Tired…”, Harvey replied, looking away.

Mike slowly brushed Harvey’s thigh, waiting for a sign that he could go farther, that he wanted it too.

Harvey placed his hand on Mike’s and entwined his fingers with his. Mike leaned in and ran a gentle hand across his jaw, cupping his face and tilting his head towards him. When their eyes finally met, their nose were practically touching.

Mike waited for Harvey to decide if this was too much, if it wasn’t the right moment, the right thing to do. But Harvey didn’t move. Instead, he squeezed Mike’s fingers, closed the space between them and kissed him. A gentle, slow, passionate kiss.

Both men quietly whimpered when their tongue met and Harvey climbed on his lap and spread his legs on either side of Mike’s. He stared at him for moment and cupped his face and kissed him again. Mike slid his hands under Harvey’s t-shirt and let them roam his warm freshly showered skin.

They both jumped when the doorbell rang a couple of minutes later.

“God.”, Mike chuckled. “I’m not even hungry anymore…”, he whispered against Harvey’s swollen lips. “At least not for pizza.”

Harvey grinned and got up.

Mike could see the bulge picking through his loose home pants. He cleared his throat and straightened himself.

“Let me get the pizzas.”, Harvey said, grabbing his wallet. “We’ll see if we eat them now or later.”, he winked.

 _Later please_ , Mike thought, pressing on his own rock hard erection.


	8. The Mother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait but last week has been busy as hell.  
> Hope you like this chapter. Very Harvey-oriented.  
> Let me know !  
> Thanx for reading <3

Harvey opened his eyes in the middle of the night. The bedroom was bathed in blue and fluorescent lights. Mike was asleep, his head on Harvey’s chest, his right hand buried in his neck. Harvey kissed the top of his head and closed his eyes, hoping to get back to sleep. In vain.

After 10 minutes of trying to untangle himself from Mike without waking him, Harvey managed to leave the bed. He put on a pair of home pants and walked sleepily to the kitchen.

The lights were still on and Harvey smiled at the two untouched pizza boxes lying on the kitchen counter. He trashed them and emptied what was left in the beer bottles into the sink. He walked to the couch and picked up their discarded clothes.

After the pizzas had arrived, which Mike had insisted on paying, they had resumed their make-out session and it had quickly turned into a hot sex couch mess with clothes scattered all over the carpet and the coffee table, desperate frotting, loud moans and whimpers and endless kissing, the two of them coming almost simultaneously the other’s hand a while later. They had moved to the bed for round two and three and eventually passed out after midnight.  

Harvey poured himself a glass of water, quickly tossed it off and stepped out on the patio, walking all the way to the handrail. It was cold and he wasn’t even wearing a t-shirt but he enjoyed the contrast, the cold night breeze against his warm skin, the freshness of the autumn New York night feeling his lungs. He closed his eyes for a moment and jumped in surprise when he felt warm hands wrapping around his waist.

“Shhh.”, Mike soothed, placing feather-light kisses on his shoulders.

Harvey turned over and pulled him into a hug.

“I’m sorry I woke you up.”, he murmured, his face buried in the crook of Mike’s neck.

“Couldn’t sleep ?”

“No…”

“Let’s get back inside, it’s fucking freezing.”, Mike chuckled, his hot breath against his neck sending shivers down Harvey’s spine.

“Want something to drink ? Coffee ? Tea ?”, Harvey offered.

“I’m good, thanks.”, Mike replied, taking a seat on the couch.

Harvey stayed in front in front of the window, his gaze fixed on the outside. He had been silent the whole evening. At one point, between round two and three, Mike had tried to ask how he was, to make sure he was alright, because the relative silence was driving him crazy, but Harvey had put a finger to his lips and kissed him desperately. To shut him up, Mike had thought, and because had felt Harvey needed to be held and kissed and fucked.

“Do you have any instruments ?”, he asked, breaking the silence.

“Why ? You wanna play ?”, Harvey asked with an amused smile, turning around to face him.

“That’s what I do when I can’t sleep.”

“I have an old piano in the study but I haven’t used it years, I have no idea if it’s tuned properly.”

“Let me see.”, Mike said, getting up.

He opened the door to the only room he had not been in yet. The study was a rather small room with just a desk and a shelf full of folders and papers. There indeed was an upright piano backed to the wall on the right. Mike sat on the bench and lifted the lid, revealing a old set of ivory keys.

“It’s beautiful.”, he said, caressing the wood and setting his feet on the pedal.

Harvey sat on the edge of the desk and smiled. Mike hit a couple of keys and grinned.

“God, it sounds so good.”, he said to himself. “Alright. This is a new song I wrote. It’s called Chocolate and Cigarettes.”

He started playing and singing and Harvey closed his eyes, taking in the soothing music and Mike’s still sleepy voice rasping in his ears. He liked the lyrics, the melancoly, the slow and sad and rhythm and it opened the floodgates. He bit the inside of his cheeks to stop the tears from falling but there was no way the little pools that had formed in his eyes would just disappear. He quickly and discreetly wiped them away but a quiet sob escaped him and Mike froze for a second before finishing the song. He stayed seated, his back turned to Harvey and just waited for him to say something. He could hear him breathing shakily and he gulped before moving to the far end of the bench and patting the space beside him.

He heard Harvey get up and closed his eyes. He should have chosen a more cheerful song but Harvey had inspired this song. The unexpected desire to call him after their short time together, Harvey’s wisdom and Mike’s youth, the need to grow up, to stop fucking around that the older man had aroused in him. When Harvey sat down on the bench, Mike placed a comforting hand on his thigh and turned his head to face him. His lips were pursed, nostrils flared and his eyes dangerously dark. It wasn’t sadness, it was anger and hurt that his face displayed. Mike took a deep breath and laid his head on Harvey’s shoulder, his fingers gently tracing unknown patterns on his thigh.

“You know…”, Harvey began to say, swallowing loudly. “My brother and I were born prematurely. We were only 6 months old and I only weighed 2.5 lbs. Paul was stronger and heavier. I, uh…”, he paused, catching his breath like he had ran a marathon. “We stayed in the hospital for 3 months and then were released when the doctors were sure that we were strong enough.”

Harvey put his hand on Mike’s to still it.

“I developed meningitis a month after Paul and I were released and I almost died. I spent another month under surveillance at the hospital and thankfully eventually recovered without too much after effects.”

“What do you mean ‘not too much’ ?”, Mike couldn’t help but ask.

“I suffer a severe hearing loss, my left ear’s almost deaf but”, Harvey lifted his hand away from Mike’s hand to his ear and produced a pea-shaped hearing aid. He placed it on the palm of his hand and smiled weakly. “this helps a lot.”

Mike grabbed the small electronic device and studied it with wide eyes. It was invisible, and designed to fit the ear canal.

“Wow.”, he whistled. “It’s so tiny !”

“Well, they weren’t always this tiny…”, Harvey sighed. “They used to be big things going around your ear. I definitely wasn’t the school star.”, he laughed, carefully putting the device back in his ear. “Plus, I wore glasses then. Perfect combo.”

“Did you also wear braces ? Cause that’s the perfect combo !”, Mike joked.

“No, I’ve always had perfect teeth.”, he grinned.

Mike smiled back and kissed him softly on the lips.

“That’s why you’re so close to your Mum, right ? Because she got so scared for you…”, he asked, closing the piano lid.

“Yeah, she never really got over it.”, Harvey replied. “Which I can understand, it must have been awful… But it’s not easy growing up overprotected and I think Paul and my sisters still resent me. I had all the attention, my Mum devoted her entire time to me. When I saw her today...", his voice shook a litte. "Lying on that hospital bed... I... I wanted to kill the guy who put her there."

Mike saw his jaw clench and nodded.

"I know.", he said quietly. "When my parents were killed by this drunk driver, I wanted to attend the trial and show up with a gun and shoot the fuck out of him. But revenge is ugly. It doesn't bring peace, it just makes you a bad person too." He paused. "What about your father ?"

"I don't like to talk about him.", Harvey snapped.

"Ok.", Mike gulped. "Sorry."

Harvey exhaled noisly and turned to face Mike. "It's alright.", he said. "Your song is beautfiful."

"Thanks.", Mike smiled. "It's going to be on the next album. You inspired it."

Harvey raised a questionning eyebrow.

"Yeah, I wrote it after I met you."

Harvey tried to replay the song in his mind, tried to remember what it said and how it related to their very brief time together. There was something about "someday" and growing old and... the beautiful melody. The sad melody. And Mike's soft voice singing the words like they were sliding on his tongue, like they were pouring out, like they belonged to the melody, like they needed to be sung. 

Mike yawned and covered his mouth sleepily.

"Sorry.", he apologized.

"Let's go back to bed.", Harvey said, stretching his neck.

He grabbed Mike's hand and dragged him to his bed. Mike got rid of his boxers and quickly suffled under the cover, moaning with satisfaction and making Harvey chuckle.

"I'm getting up early tomorrow, I'm going to visit my Mum.", he said, entering the bed. "You don't have to wake up though, you can sleep as long as you want."

Mike hummed and pulled Harvey's home pants down before kicking them off completely.

"I'll go with you. Goodnight.", he whispered, cupping Harvey's face and kissing him gently on the lips.

"Goodnight.", Harvey replied, pulling Mike closer to him and they both fell asleep within seconds, their naked and warm bodies pressed together.

 

Harvey's alarm had been ringing for 5 good minutes when the two men finally opened their eyes. Neither of them had moved during the night, they were still curled up into each other, Mike's forehead resting in the crook of Harvey's neck, one of his leg thrown over Harvey's legs, his right arm resting on Harvey's chest. Mike smiled against Harvey's skin when he felt Harvey's morning erection press against his thigh. He very slightly began to move his thigh up and down to rub it, eleciting a sleepy moan from Harvey. Mike tilted his head up and pressed soft kisses to Harvey's neck and jaw line. His own cock was hardening and he made sure to let Harvey know by rutting against the side of his hip.

"Mike...", Harvey said, pushing Mike's leg aside and rolling on his side, his eyes still closed.

Mike chuckled and stuck his lips to Harvey's, waiting for him to kiss back. Which he did, well kind of, as he simply brushed his warm lips over Mike's.

"Harvey your alarm is really distracting, can you turn it off ?", he whispered and put his tongue out to lick at Harvey's lips.

"I'm still asleep.", Harvey mumbled, parting his lips to allow Mike's tongue inside his mouth. Mike smiled and slowly worked his tongue inside Harvey's mouth, meeting his tongue and they began kissing slowly until Mike's phone rang.

"Fuck !", Mike groaned into the kiss.

He grabbed his phone from the bedside table and picked up the call.

"Hey Jenny." "Yes, I'm in New York." "I don't know." _sigh_ "Probably a couple of days." "Yeah I know." "What are you doing up this early anyway ?" _annoyed tone_ "No, I was about to get up." "No you did not." _eyroll_ "I'll call him. Yeah, you too. Bye." He tapped the screen and sighed. Harvey was fully awake now, a mischievous smile on his lips, eyes dark with lust.

"Morning.", he said, turning off his alarm.

"Morning.", Mike smiled. "Sorry about that."

"You better be sorry.", Harvey said, pulling him into a kiss. "It's not very polite to answer your phone when you're making out with someone, you know ?", he whispered against Mike's lips.

"I know, sorry.", Mike replied, closing his eyes and kissing back. Harvey moaned and pressed his body harder, rubbing his cock with Mike's. "I want you to fuck me.", he murmured into Mike's mouth and Mike whimpered. "I won't need much preparation, I'm still open for you.", he added, fisting Mike's leaking cock.

"God, Harvey...", Mike moaned loudly, sliding his hands down Harvey's back to cup his ass cheeks.

He teased his hole with his middle finger and Harvey arched his back. He was still a bit loose from last night but there was no way Mike wasn't using lube, Harvey was still fucking _tight_. His cock twitched at the thought and he rolled them over so he was on top, without breaking the kiss. Harvey bent his knees and spread his legs and Mike postionned himself between them, his fingers still teasing Harvey's entrance.

"Hold on.", Mike said breathlessly.

He reached for the bedside drawer and fumbled for the lube bottle and one of the last condoms in the box. 

Harvey grabbed his face with both hands and pulled him into another long and passionate kiss.

Breaking the kiss with a smile, Mike sat back up on his knees and poured a dollop of lube on his fingers which he slid in Harvey's crack. Working him open proved easy and quick and barely a minute after he had inserted the first finger inside of Harvey's tight heat, he was pushing his cock all the way in.

"Aaahh.", Harvey moaned, his eyes closed, his ass clenching around the slick invasion.

"Harvey...", Mike whispered. "Stop this or I'm gonna..." and he reached his climax as a surprised cry escaped him. "Oh God, God, Harvey...", he moaned, his head buried in Harvey's neck, his whole body shaking.

Harvey tightened his embrace and gently brushed his hands up and down Mike's back, his back arching, his cock trying to find friction against Mike's skin.

When Mike finally came down from his orgasm, he lifted a trembling hand to Harvey's cheek and smiled sheepishly.

"Now, that's embarassing.", he said.

Harvey chuckled and stilled his roaming hands. He grabbed Mike's hand and kissed it.

"I like having that effect on you.", he smiled.

Mike kissed his neck, lazily grabbed Harvey's twitching cock and began to stroke it.

"You're so hot Harvey... You have no idea.", he whispered in his ear, thumbing the tip of his cock and spreading the precome over it. "I could come from just kissing you...", he continued, speeding the rhythm of his hand. "You're perfect, you're perfect for me." He felt Harvey's body tense and he gave a couple of quick long strokes. 

"M-M-Mike...", Harvey gasped as long and thick spurts of sperm hit his stomach. Mike kept on pumping him through his orgasm and only stopped when he heard Harvey hiss.

"I wish I could wake up with this every morning.", Mike said before realizing what it implied. Were they even in a relationship ? 

Harvey sighed in contempt and kissed the top of his head.

"We've gotta get up. It's already 7. I have an important meeting at 10 and I have to go see my Mum before that.", he said, cleaning the come off his chest with the sheets. "Go shower, I'll make coffee."

Mike nodded and clumsily walked to the bathroom.

 

They arrived at the hospital at 8:30, after a quick stop to buy coffee and pasteries.

"Hey Mum.", Harvey smiled upon entering the room.

Helena was in a sitting position, a book in her hands.

"Gentlemen.", she smiled back and kissed her son on the cheek.

Mike smiled tentatively and stayed by the door.

"How are you ?", Harvey asked, putting the coffee cups and the pastery bag on the rolling table next to the bed.

"I'm good. Slept like a baby.", she replied, looking at Mike with narrow eyes. "You ?"

"I'm good.", Harvey replied. "Coffee ?", he asked, handing her a warm paper cup and sitting on the bed.

"Thank you very much.", Helena replied. "Sit dow Mike, please.", she added, motionning to the comfortable looking armchair.

Mike nodded, grabbed a cup and sat down.

"I can't stay long Mum, I have a deposition on the other side of town at 10 but I'll come back later in the afternoon."

"It's ok sweetheart. Mike will keep me company.", she smirked, shooting a knowing look at Mike who instantly blushed. 

Her brown eyes were as intimidating and dangerous as her son's. 

"Of course Mrs Specter.", he smiled.

"Call me Helena.", she ordered in a serious tone. "Oh, Donna called me earlier. We chatted for a bit, sounds like she's finally found someone."

"Yeah, Neal and I double dated with them 2 weeks ago,-", Harvey began to reply before stopping dead and clearing his throat. "I met him. He's nice."

Helena raised an eyebrow and glanced at Mike who was biting his bottom lip.

"That's good news. She deserves a nice man.", she said, breaking the awkward silence.

 

A half hour later, Harvey left with the promise of dropping by later.

"So Mike.", Helena said right after her son had closed the door behind him. "Tell me about you.", she patted the bed.

Mike got up and sat on the far end of the bed, picking at his fingernails nervously.

"Hum.", he replied eloquantly. "What do you wanna know ?"

"Who are you ?", she asked with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"I'm Mike.", Mike replied with a smirk. "I'm 21, I'm from Toronto, I'm an orphan, I'm a musician and a singer in a band, um... I guess that's it ?"

"21 ?", Helena gasped. "Ok.", she sighed. "How did you meet my son ?"

"At a concert. He came with Donna to see us play in Brooklyn almost 2 months ago.", he replied, lowering his eyes.

She nodded and kept her gaze firmly on Mike.

"Are you two dating ?"

Mike laughed nervously.

"I... To be honest Mrs Sp-, Helena, I don't know."

"How's that ?"

 _We fuck but I don't know if we're dating_ , Mike wanted to reply but he obviously couldn't.

"We, uh, we don't really know each other, I mean, we do but it's still very new and I live in Toronto and he's very busy and I'm 21 and he's 42, we're... we're in the process of getting to know each other. I think.", he stuttered.

Helena narrowed her eyes again and pursed her lips.

"And yet you're here.", she stated.

"When the shooting happened, Donna called me.", Mike began to tell. "She said Harvey would need support and so I called Harvey to see how he was holding up. I asked him if he wanted me catch the next flight to New York and he said yes. That's why I'm here."

Helena smiled broadly and looked away with a sigh.

"My son likes you.", she stated with a stern look. "He likes people very quickly. Actually, he falls in love very quickly."

Mike blushed.

"He's very sensitive and needs to feel loved, he needs a partner. He's always had one. I'm talking long-term relationships here of course."

"Of course.", Mike replied in a small voice.

"Do you like him ?", Helena asked.

Mike licked his lips and took his time to formulate his answer.

Yes, he liked Harvey, he liked his sense of humor, his obvious intelligence, his softness, his laugh, his caring eyes. 

"Yes, I like him.", was all Mike could manage to answer after a couple of seconds.

Helena studied his face for a moment straightened herself.

"Good.", she concluded. "Harvey's the apple of my eye. My four children are. But Harvey's fragile and he cares about people too much and too deep. Just like his father.", she swallowed thickly. "It's going to sound cliché but I hope you understand how much I mean every single I'm about to say, Michael.", she paused and her eyes darkened. "If my son ever sheds a single tear because of you or if you hurt him at all, I swear to God I'll make you pay for it. Understood ?"

Mike's heart skipped a beat and he nodded slowly.

Helena pointed a finger at her ear and raised a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"Yes M'am.", Mike almost whispered, his cheeks burning.

"Good boy.", she smiled mischievously. "Now, what instrument do you play ?"


	9. The Hospital

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter you guys :) It's a pretty long one.  
> Hope you like it, let me know ! I really appreciate each and every one of your comments.  
> xoxo

Harvey conducted his deposition and quickly left his client’s building for lunch with another client near the firm. He texted Donna to ask her to order the biggest bouquet of flowers ever made from his usual flower boutique and to reschedule his late afternoon meeting with Jessica.

Lunch with his client, tennis player Ted Phillips and his manager, lasted for over 3 hours during which they talked about business for a while and then about everything and nothing. Ted reminded Harvey of Mike. Young and carefree and on his way to stardom. He was surprised at how at ease he was with the young man, just like it surprised him with Mike, and he tried to shake the thought that he would maybe like to be in a relationship with Mike when he left the restaurant.

He quickly walked back to the firm and spent an hour going over his emails and making calls. 

At four, the flowers arrived, a  _huge_ and beautifularrangement of roses and green leaves, and Harvey called Ray.

 

 

Mike spent the whole day with Elena. They played cards, talked, drank coffee, took a quick stroll in the hospital’s park and Mike made important calls while Helena took a nap after lunch. 

He was looking at the different sorts of chocolate bars the vending machine offered when a voice took him out of his reverie.

“Hey Mike.”

He turned around and smiled after a slight moment of hesitation, realizing that the man standing behind him wasn’t a casual dressed Harvey but his twin.

“Hey Paul.”, he replied, folding a dollar bill into the vending machine and pressing on button of his choice. “Helena’s doing fine. She should be released tomorrow morning.”

“Great.”, Paul smiled and followed Mike in the corridor. “You guys spent the day with her ?”

“No, Harvey had work to do, he left at 9 this morning.”, Mike replied. “But he just texted me, he should be here soon.”

Paul cocked his head to the side with a surprised smile.

“So you spent the day alone with my Mum ?”, he asked.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t have any plans and I figured she could use some company. Ellen was here for lunch.”

He knocked on the bedroom door and opened it.

“Hey Mum.”, Paul said, walking to the bed to hug her, careful not to press on her wound.

“Hello sweetheart.”, Helena smiled. “How’s it going with the investigation ?”

“It’s top secret Mum, I can’t tell you and you know it.”, he gave a her pointed look. “A police officer is scheduled to come visit you tomorrow morning to take your deposition. Mike said you could be released tomorrow ?”

“I hope so. I can’t wait to go home.”, she replied with a sigh. “I’m glad Mike could stay with me today.”, she smiled at Mike who blushed.

“If you go home tomorrow morning, let me know. I need to inform the officer that he’ll need to visit you over there instead of here.”, Paul said, typing on the screen of his phone.

There was a knock on the door and Harvey came in with a broad smile. He winked at Mike.

“Are these for me ?”, Helena asked with wide eyes.

“Of course Mum.”, Harvey chuckled, kissing here on the cheek. “They’re certainly not for Paul.”, he smirked at his brother who rolled his eyes. “How are you feeling ?”

“I’m good. The doctor says I’m going to be released tomorrow morning. I can’t wait to go home.”

“Are you sure you want to go home so soon ?”, Harvey asked with a concerned look while arranging the flowers into a vase. “You could stay with me for a while, you know, until the wound’s completely healed.”

“I’m ok sweetheart. But that’s nice of you. Actually,-”

“I think you should sell the house, Mum.”, Paul cut her off. “It’s dangerous over there. You could tutor in Manhattan you know ? I hate for you to be there on your own.”

Harvey shot him a look and looked back at Helena.

“I’m not selling the house Paul.”, she replied. “Your Dad and I worked hard to buy it. You all grew up in this house, took your first steps, learned to ride a bike… I’m not selling it and I’m not moving out.”

Paul rolled his eyes.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying, Mum. The house is too big for you, we’re all adults now and Dad’s not here anymore so what’s the point ?”

Harvey jumped from the bed and opened his mouth to speak but Paul held up a hand to stop him.

“I know what you’re going to say Harvey, but I’m talking to Mum, not to you.”, he said sharply.

Mike shifted uncomfortably on his chair.

“Well, I’m talking for Mum now.”, Harvey snarled. “And she just said she’s not selling.”

Paul laughed ironically. 

“Of course you’re talking for Mum.”, he scoffed. “Little Harvey  _always_  has to have his way.”

“Boys.”, Helena snapped. “Stop it.”

Mike swallowed thickly as Paul and Harvey held each other’s gaze, hands tightened into fists and lips pursed. 

“Well.”, Paul said, heading for the door. “I guess I was wrong, not all of us are  _adults_.”, he smirked at Harvey and slammed the door shut.

Harvey stayed still for a moment, facing the closed door, his back turned to Mike and his Mum. 

“Harvey.”, Helena eventually said in a soft voice.

Harvey’s shoulders sagged and he left the room without looking back.

Helena let out a loud sigh.

“Boys will be boys.”, she smiled at Mike. “They’ve never been really close. At least not as closed as you’d expect them to be. They’re so different…”

Mike nodded and smiled back shyly. 

“Could you please go check if Harvey’s alright ?”, she asked.

“Sure.”, Mike said, rather relieved to be able to leave the room.

He walked the long corridor and the lobby looking for Harvey and finally spotted him right outside the main entrance.

He was talking with Paul and both seemed angry but it didn’t look like they were shouting. They were standing face to face, their hands safely folded into their pockets. 

 

“You really need to stop with the perfect son act.”, Paul snapped when Harvey caught up with him outside the hospital entrance.

“And you need to stop trying to get a rise out of me every time Mum’s around.”, Harvey replied.

“ _I_ ’m trying to get a rise out of  _you_  ?”, Paul huffed. “You’ve got to be kidding me Harvey ! You’re the one stepping up to Mum’s defense even though she doesn’t ask for it or even doesn’t _need_ it ! Do you have any idea how crazy it makes us ?”

“Us ?”

“Yeah, the girls and me.”

“So I can’t speak for Mum but you can speak for Ellen and Geraldine.”, Harvey scoffed.

“You don’t believe me ? Call them ! Here.”, he said, handing his phone to Harvey. “See if they’re not through with your attitude.”

Harvey swatted Paul’s hand away, almost knocking the phone over.

“What are you going to do when Mum’s gone, uh ?”, Paul asked with a provocative smirk. “Who’s going to take little Harvey’s defense ?”

Harvey’s cheeks were now burning with rage and he had a hard time keeping his hands to his side. 

“You know what ?”, Paul said, looking away. “It’s not fair to yell at you, you’ve always been clueless and you will always be. It’s all Mum’s fault. I don’t even know why I came to see her, she doesn’t care about me, or Ellen, or Geri. All she cares about is you, you and you.”, he spitted. “Tell her I hope she gets well soon.”, he said, walking away.

 

Mike waited for a couple of seconds before joining Harvey outside. 

“You okay ?”, he asked tentatively.

Harvey nodded and stepped back inside the hospital.

“I’m sorry you had to see that.”, he apologized.

“It’s okay, I’m sorry for you and your brother.”, Mike replied, taking Harvey’s hand and squeezing it.

Harvey took a deep breath and knocked on the bedroom door before letting himself and Mike in.

“I’m sorry Mum.”, he said in a sigh, crashing into one of the armchairs.

Helena didn’t say a word. She looked back down on her book and resumed her reading while an awkward silence settled in the room.

After a couple of minutes that seemed like hours to Mike, she finally put her book down and took off her glasses.

“Is Paul gone or is he outside ?”, she asked.

“He’s gone.”, Harvey replied, not looking at his mother. “He says he hopes you get well soon.”

“If you had let me finish earlier, before you started bickering like two 5-year olds, I was about to say that Geraldine is coming over with Nicholas and her son to stay with me for a week.”, she said with a pointed look.

“Good.”, Harvey replied, still not looking up from his folded hand.

“Now, you two should leave, have a nice dinner somewhere.”, she said. “Mike has been really good and he deserves a nice evening.”

She smiled at Mike who smiled back.

“Ok.”, Harvey sighed. “Is Geri coming to pick you up tomorrow or do you need me to ? Does she need someone to drive them from the airport ?”

“They’re renting a car and yes, they’re picking me up.”, she replied softly. “Thank you honey. And thank you for the flowers, they’re beautiful.”

Harvey smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

“Bye Helena.”, Mike smiled and waved.

“Come here young man.”, she laughed, opening her arms. 

Mike walked to the bed and hugged her.

“You're a good kid. Take care of my son.”, she whispered into his ear.

Mike smiled knowingly and followed Harvey outside the room.

“She’s great.”, he said, once they were outside.

Harvey looked at him with an amused look.

“Thank you so much for staying with her. I’m sorry, I just left and… Well, I had no idea you were going to spend the whole day here.”

“And what else did you think I would have done ?”, Mike asked with a smile. “I came here to see you, to support you. If it means entertaining Mrs. Specter, I’m all in. She’s a lot of fun, though she’s a bit of a sore loser.”, he added, nudging Harvey.

“So, wanna grab a drink ? It’s too early for dinner.”

“A drink and then dinner.”, Mike smiled mischievously. “I deserve it, remember ?”

Harvey rolled his eyes and chuckled.

 

 

"What's up with you and your brother ?", Mike asked, sipping on a beer.

They had chosen a packed and posh bar where Mike would just be another head in the crowd, both not wanting a repeat of the Fairytale Lounge/twitter disaster.

"We get along.", Harvey replied. "But we're not close. He's very... different from me. He's basically everything I wish I was. He's confident, head-strong, has a great sense of humor and he gives the best advice."

"I still don't get how you managed to become one of New York's most feared lawyer without confidence...", Mike smiled.

"Jessica, my boss. When you meet her, I mean if you met her, well, you'll understand. She trained me well."

"I have to fly back tomorrow.", Mike said with a disappointed look.

"Gotta rehearse for the Awards ?", Harvey winked.

"Donna told you ?"

"Yep. Are you going to show up in jeans ?"

"Yeah well", Mike licked his lips. "I'm in a rock band, I'm not James Bond.", he smiled.

Harvey laughed and shook his head.

"Come on ! If you don't wear a tux at an Award show, when do you ever wear one ?"

"A tux ? No way dude !", Mike laughed. "They never fit me. Either the jacket is too short or the shoulders are too broad. They make me look like a fucking penguin."

Harvey sighed and grabbed his wallet.

"Go see René.", he said, handing a business card. "He's my tailor. Tell him I sent you."

Mike looked at the card suspiciously.

"So that's why you look so good in your suits, because they're made just for you...", he almost whispered. "And here I thought that was because you had a killer body.", he teased.

"Well, it's a little bit of both I guess.", Harvey smirked.

"Finally !", Mike smiled proudly. "See ? Confidence.", he whispered against Harvey's lips before kissing him.

 

 

They entered Harvey's condo later that night after a quiet dinner in Manhattan.

"God I'm exhausted.", Harvey yawned, kicking off his shoes and discarding his suit jacket.

"Yeah me too. Entertaining the old is exhausting.", Mike said in a playful tone.

"I'll tell her you said that.", Harvey threatened with a smile.

"Come one. She loooovves me."

"Come to bed hotshot."

"You don't have to ask me twice..."

Mike undressed, scattering his clothes around the bed and jumped under the covers.

Harvey sighed, picked up the clothes and folded them neatly on a chair before walking to the bathroom.

"Don't you even wanna brush your teeth ?", he called.

"Nah. I'm good.", Mike replied, checking his breath. "I know. I'm disgusting."

Harvey chuckled and quickly brushed his teeth.

He undressed and joined Mike in the bed before turning off the lights.

"Harvey ?"

"Hum ?"

"Did Donna tell you something other than that we were attending the Award show ?"

"No, why ?"

"Nothing."

Harvey frowned.

"Why ?"

"Nothing. I just... nothing. Goodnight !", Mike singsonged, spooning Harvey and nuzzling the back of his neck.

"Hum... You're lucky I'm tired."

Mike yawned loudly.

"You looooooooove me.", Mike slurred sleepily.

Harvey's heart began to race in chest. Thank God the lights were off, he was probably already turning purple if the burning in his cheeks was any indication.

He gulped and stroke and squeezed Mike's arm.

"Goodnight Mike."

"Hummmmm."

 

 

Harvey opened his eyes before his alarm went on. Mike was snoring rather loudly, arms and legs tightly wrapped around Harvey.

Harvey sighed and enjoyed the feeling of waking up close to Mike's warm body. Tomorrow morning was going to feel empty and cold.

He rolled over to face his young lover. Mike's hair was a total mess, strands of hair sticking in every direction. His lips were slightly parted and he looked like a little boy, cheeks flushed from having spending the night against Harvey's warm back, eyelids twitching like he was having a dream. 

Harvey brushed his knuckles on his cheek and kissed the tip of his nose.

Mike's eyes snapped opened and he smiled sleepily.

"Hey.", he rasped.

Harvey smiled back and pulled him into a hug.

"I don't wanna go back.", Mike mumbled into the crook of Harvey's neck.

"When will you be back ?"

"9 or 8 days.", Mike replied, tilting his head up and pressing gentle kisses at Harvey's jaw line and neck. "The show's in 12 days but we're coming over early to do some more promotion."

"And buy a tux.", Harvey added.

He placed his hands on either side of Mike's face and kissed him.

"How much time do we have ?", Mike asked breathlessly.

"30 minutes."

"Well, given my track record with you, I'd say it's a lot more than necessary.", Mike chuckled sheepishly before resuming the kiss. "I want you to straddle me.", he moaned into the kiss.

Harvey gasped and felt his hardening cock twitch in anticipation.

He climbed on Mike and deepened the kiss, grabbing Mike’s cock to stroke it into full hardness.

“Harvey.”, Mike groaned, putting his hand on Harvey’s to still it.

“What is it ?”, Harvey asked, gently biting his neck.

“You and Neal… What you said yesterday, you, uh, you double dated with Donna and Stephen ?”

Harvey sighed and sat back up.

“Really ?”, he smiled. “You wanna talk about it now ?”

“I’m sorry, I just came back to my mind… I’m curious.”, Mike replied, blushing.

“Yes.”, Harvey said, exhaling loudly. “We had dinner here with Donna and Stephen two weeks ago.”, he gave Mike’s not-so-hard-anymore cock a couple of strokes. “Now, where were we ?”

“Did you… Did something happen between Neal and you ?”

Harvey let go of Mike and moved to the side.

“I’m sorry Harvey.”, Mike said, rubbing his face. “I… I tried to forget about it but it just came back up and I know it’s none of my business but…”, he sat up against the headboard. “I wanna know.”, he said, looking at Harvey.

Harvey kept his gaze ahead, chewing the inside of his mouth.

“It was a mistake.”, he said after a couple of seconds. “I shouldn’t have invited him.”

Mike crossed his arms on his chest and sighed.

“Yes.”, Harvey added. “Something  _happened_.”

“Ok. Thank you for telling me. I’m going to take a shower.”

Mike left the bed and grabbed his neatly folded clothes before locking the bathroom door.

He looked at his reflection in the huge mirror above the two sinks and sighed. 

Just because he had spent the last two weeks thinking about Harvey and wanting to see him again didn’t mean Harvey had to feel the same. And well, Neal and him had history and Neal was gorgeous and he wasn’t 21. 

Mike quickly showered and when he came out of the steaming bathroom, the bed had been made and the bedroom was empty.

He walked to the kitchen. It smelled like coffee and Harvey was on the balcony, in his sweatpants, leaning forward, forearms resting on the banister. 

Mike poured two mugs of coffee and brought them outside.

“I’m sorry I asked about Neal, it was rude.”, he said, handing a mug to Harvey.

“Thanks.”, Harvey smiled. “It’s ok, don’t worry. I understand.”

“No, it’s not ok. I mean, you don’t owe me anything.”

Harvey turned around and studied him. He looked angry and disappointed and Harvey smiled internally.

“I’m not going to see him again, like that I mean. If he needs a lawyer, he knows where to find me.”, he explained. “Like I said, it was a mistake, it’s over for good. And I don’t plan on seeing anyone else.”

Mike narrowed his eyes and raised an eyebrow.

“At all ?”, he asked.

“I don’t know.”, Harvey smirked. “There’s this guy I met some time ago. Cute and talented. I might want to see him again.”

Mike grinned and nudged his ribs.

“You bastard !”, he laughed, wrapping his arms around Harvey’s naked waist and kissing him. “You think I’m stupid and childish, don’t you ?”, he asked looking bashful.

 _I think I’m in love with you_ , Harvey thought.

He just shook his head with a smile and pulled him into a tight hug.

“Hey can I come with you ? At the firm ? My flight’s at 2.”, Mike asked eagerly.

“Uh…”

“Not like  _that_ , don’t worry. I’m Donna’s friend, remember ?”

“Alright.”, Harvey smiled. “But you be good, I’m not babysitting you.”

Mike rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue playfully.

 

 

“Hey wait !” Mike shouted, closing the town car door. “You want us to come in separately, is that it ?”, he asked to Harvey who had already almost reached the building’s main entrance.

Harvey stopped and turned around, an annoyed look on his face.

“Hey  _Donna’s friend_.”, he said in a low voice. “Harvey Specter doesn’t wait for no one.”

Mike grinned and passed by him, not holding the door.

“Is that your idea of behaving ?”, Harvey asked, pressing the elevator button.

“Excuse me Sir, do I know you ?”

“Fine.”, Harvey sighed and stepped inside the cabin.

Mike studied him while the elevator climbed the 50 floors. Harvey wasn’t Harvey anymore, he was Harvey Specter, lawyer extraordinaire. His usual relaxed face was tense and all serious and his eyes were dangerously dark. Well trained, indeed.

“Have a great day Sir.”, he said, cutting him off and stepping out first.

He heard Harvey sigh again but he quickly spotted a beautiful red mane in the distance and ran to it.

“Mike !”, Donna exclaimed when she looked up from her computer. “What the hell are you doing here ?” then she saw Harvey walking behind him, busy checking his phone.

“Oh.”, she mouthed. “You didn’t come together, I get it.”, she whispered.

“Oh how cute ! Is it father-son day ?”, a bold short chubby man sneered.

“Oh so your wife told you about the child we had together ? You two really do have a special relationship.”, Harvey deadpanned, entering his office.

“Louis.”, Donna said. “This is my friend Mike. He’s a musician.”

“I should have known you had nothing to do with Mr. GQ.”, he smiled, offering his hand. “Nice to meet you Mike, Donna’s friends are my friends.”

Mike smiled and shook his hand.

“Would you like a tour ?”, Louis asked.

“Sure !”

“Ok so this is Harvey Specter’s office.”, he whispered, motioning to the nearby glass wall. “Do not talk to him, he’s always in a bad mood. And do not look him in the eyes, rumor has it he drinks babies blood for breakfast. That would totally explain his natural youth by the way.”, he narrowed his eyes. “Anyway, avoid him at all cost.”

Donna chuckled.

“Do not listen to him.”, she said. “Plus, Harvey heard everything you just said.”

“Ok, let’s go, hurry.”, Louis said, grabbing Mike’s arm and dragging him down the corridor.

"This is the bullpen.", he said with a proud smirk. "My responsability. This is where the magic begins."

A dozen of heads looked up at the same time.

"Oh my God !", a cute blond guy exclaimed, his hand covering his mouth. "Mike from Mike and the Harmony ?!"

Louis frowned.

"This is Tom Keller, Harvey's associate.", he said in a sigh. "Don't you have work to do ? How the hell do you know my friend Mike ?"

"Your friend ?", Tom exclaimed again. "Lucky you ! Oh my God, can I shake your hand ?", he asked Mike.

Mike chuckled and nodded, extanding his arm.

"I'm such fan ! I was in Toronto last weekend for your show, it was amazing !", he smiled broadly.

"Thank you very much.", Mike replied with an equally broad smile. "So you work for Harvey Specter ? I've heard he's quite the boss."

"He's okay. He's a bit of a hardass and sometimes even a total jerk but it's fine, I get to learn from the best.", Tom replied.

He had a very nice smile, total hottie. Mike felt a pang of jealousy realizing this gorgeous young man spent his days with his... his _Harvey_.

"Could you autograph something for my girlfriend ?", Tom asked in a hopeful tone.

Girlfriend ? _Sure._

"Sure.", Mike smiled.

He signed a piece of paper "for Amanda" and took a selfie with the young associate before leaving the room.

"Louis.", a female voice startled them on their way back to Donna's desk.

"Oh, Jessica.", Louis smiled nervously. "This is my friend Mike. Mike, this is Jessica Pearson."

So this was Jessica. And said Jessica was the Pearson of Pearson Specter. She was tall, elegant, beautiful and a little bit scary.

"Hello Mrs Pearson, nice to meet you.", Mike said politely.

"Nice to meet you too.", she smiled wickedly. "Louis, do you know if Harvey's in already ?", she asked.

"Yes, he is.", Louis replied, rolling his eyes.

"Ok, I'm going to check on his mother."

"She's doing fine, she's being released from the hospital today.", Mike froze. "Uh, Donna told me.", he added, blushing.

"I'm sure Donna did.", Jessica smirked. "Nice meeting you Mike."

"Yeah, you too, uh, bye.", he stuttered. "God, she's scary.", he exhaled when Jessica was gone.

"She's the crème de la crème.", Louis corrected. "Let's go back to Donna."

 

When they reached Donna's area, they heard loud voices coming from Harvey's office.

Tom was standing in front of Harvey's desk, head down and Harvey was talking to him rather loudly. He wasn't screaming _per se_ but his voice was loud and dangerous.

"This isn't acceptable Thomas !", he shot, face torn by anger.

People passing in the corridor stopped and stared. 

"Tom went behind Harvey's back...", Donna sighed, typing furiously.

"But, Jessica threatened me and you weren't there and I...", the young man began before Harvey cut him.

"I don’t care. Anyone comes at you with any threat at all, you come to _me_. I don’t give a shit if it’s the Queen of England. You come to _me_. You tell _me_. You tell me _everything_ ! That’s what goddamn loyalty is ! Now get the fuck out and don't come back here until I'm ready to see your face again !"

Mike froze when he met Harvey's eyes. _A total jerk_. He could see how. This Harvey, with his hair slicked back and his high collar, his dark eyes and pursed lips, looked frighteningly hot, though.

Tom left the office with tears in his eyes and Louis followed him back to the bullpen.

The door had been left open and Mike and Harvey stared at each other for a moment through the glass wall.

"I wouldn't get in if I were you.", Donna warned in a soft voice.

Jessica arrived at that moment.

"Harvey.", she said, almost nudging a still frozen Mike as she entered the office. "What was that about ?"

"Why did you ask Thomas to rewrite the Macallan contract ?", he asked, nostrils flared.

"Oh.", Jessica smiled. "Because there was a clause I wasn't happy with, a clause the client would not have been happy with. And you weren't there. How's your mother doing by the way ?"

Harvey scoffed and sat back at his desk.

"Can you close the door on your way out ?", he asked through greeted teeth. "Please."

Jessica shook her head and left the office, leaving the door open. She smiled at Mike and walked away.

"Donna !", Harvey asked. "Send Thomas over please."

"Sure thing boss."

Harvey looked up and held Mike's gaze for a moment before returning to his computer. Mike didn't know whether he should say something or even move at all.

Tom walked by him and knocked on the glass.

"Come in.", Harvey said. "And close the goddamn door please."

Mike watched as Tom took a seat on the couch and Harvey sat on the edge of his desk.

"Now watch this.", Donna said, turning on the Intercom.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you Thomas.", Mike heard Harvey say. "Jessica told me what happened. Still, I don't care if she threatens you, you're my associate. _Mine_. If anyone asks you to do something I didn't ask you to do, you come to me, or you call me. Never ever take orders from anybody else, understood ?"

The young man gulped and nodded.

"Now go back to work.", Harvey said. "And good job on the contract."

"Thank you Mr. Specter.", he said before opening the door and closing it behind him.

His cheeks were red and his eyes puffy. He smiled weakly at Mike and hurried back to work.

Mike knocked on the glass door tentatively.

"Come in.", Harvey said with an apologetic smile.

"Was that all an act too or were you really _that_ angry ?"

"I was, well I _am_ angry."

"And you’re a possessive son of a bitch as well.", Mike laughed. "Remind me never to have a fight with you."

"I don’t like people to go behind my back. And I don’t share my toys.", Harvey replied with a smirk.

"Interesting… I’ll keep that in mind.”, Mike smiled, browsing through his record collection. “Look, I should go. I am going to try and catch an earlier flight."

"I'm sorry I can't spend time with you, I'm swamped and,-"

"I know. It's ok. I'm glad I got to see your alter ego in full force !", Mike replied with a smile. "I'd love to kiss you goodbye but... I'll call you later."

"You know what ? Let me escort you to the lobby.", Harvey winked and grabbed his phone.

They walked to the elevator without a word and discreetly stepped into an empty cabin.

As soon as the doors were closed, they were kissing like horny teenagers, Harvey pinning Mike against the sidewall.

"I'm going to miss you.", he whispered into the kiss.

Mike hummed in agreement and finally broke the kiss to catch his breath as the cabin reached the ground floor. 

Harvey stole one last quick kiss and Mike waved at him before walking away with a sad smile.

 

When he got back to his office, his phone bipped.

"I can't wait to see you again." 

Harvey smiled and sighed in contempt. 

“Thank you very much for coming. I can’t wait either.”


	10. The Longing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter ! Took me a while to get to the end :D  
> I hope you like it !!!  
> Let me know.  
> Thank you so much for reading and commenting and leaving kudos.  
> xoxo

Harvey arrived at his mother’s house two days later, not really in the mood for a family reunion after his brawl with Paul. But his mother had invited her children to a family dinner since Geraldine was visiting.

He pulled over in front of the house at Paul was exiting from his car.

“Hey.”, Paul said with a smile.

“Hey.”, Harvey replied, locking his car. “Sophia’s not coming ?”

“Who’s Sophia ?”, Paul asked with a knowing smile.

“Another one bites the dust.”

“Yeah well, she dumped me.”

“ _No way_.”, Harvey laughed. “Oh my God, are you alright ?”

“Ha ha, very funny. To be honest, I’m relieved.”

“Of course. God forbid you should ever feel sad or heartbroken.”

Paul rolled his eyes and opened the garden gate.

“Mike’s not here either, I see.”, he teased.

“He’s back in Toronto.”, was all Harvey replied.

“How are things with him ?”

“Good.”

Things were very good between them. Mike had called him after he had come home and the previous night and they had talked for over an hour. Despite their age difference, they had a lot in common. They loved the same movies, both loved jazz music and they were both passionate about their job. Mike was young but he had been through a lot and was a lot more mature than most 21-year olds. 

“Hey boys.”, Geraldine greeted them with a warm smile when she opened the door.

“Long time no see.”, Harvey smiled back and hugged her.

“I know…”

“So ? What’s for dinner ?”, Paul asked, taking off his heavy armed jacket.

“You didn’t even change ?”, Geraldine rolled her eyes at him.

“I’m a busy man. Came straight from work. I’m sorry my work costume isn’t as cool as Harvey’s. Well, scratch that, I’m not sorry, I’m glad because I couldn’t wear a freaking suit everyday.”

“No you’re right, you couldn’t pull that off.”, Harvey smirked.

“Come on, Harv, I’m way fitter than you.”, Paul snapped back with a fake disgusted look.

“Boys.”, Helena said, entering the room.

Her right arm was held in a sling and she was wearing a kitchen apron.

“Hey Mum.”, Harvey smiled. “Don’t tell me you’re cooking. Aren’t you supposed to rest ?”

“I’m not handicapped, I have another fully functioning arm.”, she replied, hanging their jackets on the peg. “Come on, dinner’s almost ready.”

In the dining room, where a table for 10 had been set, Ellen was wrapping colorful napkins around her twin girls’ neck.

“Hey.”, she smiled and the two 6-year olds grinned at their uncles.

“Where’s Antony ?”, Harvey asked, kissing the girls on the forehead.

“In the kitchen, helping Mum and Geri.”, Ellen replied. “How are you ?”

“Good. Thanks.”

“Alright !”, Helena entered the room, holding a steaming dish that smelled delicious. “Up to the table everybody !”.

The seven adults and 3 kids took seats around the family table and the Ellen and Geri filled their kids’ plates before passing the dishes around.

The dinner went smoothly, the kids laughing and making jokes, the adults catching up on each other’s latest whereabouts. 

 

After the table was cleared, Helena grabbed a stack of paper sheets and pens and asked the kids to sit around the table and draw while they were having coffee in the living room. Geraldine poured the cups and passed them around.

When everybody was served, Helena took a deep breath.

“I didn’t ask you to come tonight just to share a family dinner.”, she said and marked a pause. “While I was at the hospital, they did a couple of tests for good measure and they discovered a lump in my breast.”, she paused again. “They ran an emergency biopsy and I got the results today. I have breast cancer.”

“What ?”, Ellen gasped, holding a hand before her mouth. “How advanced is it ?”

Harvey heart stopped beating. His vision blurred and he suddenly felt sick.

“We don’t know yet.”, Helena replied, her eyes scanning the room and smiling reassuringly. “They’ll schedule a chemo session as soon as the latest test results are in. I don’t want you to freak out, there’s a lot we don’t know at that stage.”

Harvey got up and rushed for the bathroom where he threw up his dinner. 

As he was catching his breath, head still bowed in the toilet bowl, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Are you alright ?”, Paul asked with concern.

Harvey swallowed thickly and winced at the bitter taste in his mouth.

“I’m… ok.”, he replied, his forehead resting on the arms he'd propped on the toilet seat.

Paul sat down on the bathroom floor and began to rub Harvey’s back soothingly.

“She’s gonna be okay.”, he said.

“You don’t know that.”, Harvey sobbed.

“You’re right, I don’t. But I can’t imagine it going any other way.”

They remained silent for a while until Harvey had regained some composure. He stood up and rinsed his mouth out.

“Ok ?”, Paul asked, getting back up.

“Yeah. Thank you.”, Harvey replied with a weak smile.

In the living room, Geraldine was blowing her nose, her eyes red with tears. Ellen was quietly chatting with Helena and Antony and Nicholas had retreated to the dining room to help the girls get ready to go.

“Sweetheart.”, Helena said to Harvey with a fond smile.

Harvey faked a smile and began to gather the empty coffee cups on a tray.

“We’re ready to goooooo !”, the twin girls squealed.

Ellen chuckled and placed a kiss on her mother’s cheek.

“Thanks for dinner Mum.”, she said. “Take care and let me know if you need anything, alright ?”

“I will. Bye girls !”, Helena said, pinching their cheeks.

Harvey carried the tray back to the kitchen and began to load the dishwasher.

“I’ve got it Harv.”, Geri said in a soft voice. “Go home.”

Harvey took a deep breath and turned around to face his youngest sister. 

“Come here.”, she said, pulling him into a warm hug. 

“Can we stop with all the crying and hugging and worrying, please ?”, Helena laughed when she entered the kitchen. “I’m not dead yet.”

Harvey made a face.

“We love you too Mum.”, Geraldine teased, taking her son up in her arms. “Let’s get you to bed little tiger. Goodnight everybody.”

“Goodnight Honey.”, Helena replied. “Go home sweetheart.”, she said to Harvey.

“When will you know more about your… hum, the results ?”, he asked.

“Tomorrow’s Saturday so they won’t call me but I guess Monday.”

“Ok.”, he said, clearing his throat. “Thanks for dinner.”

Helena smiled and escorted him to the door where Paul was putting on his jacket.

“Do you want me to sleep over at your place ?”, he asked to Harvey. “We could go practice tomorrow, what do you think ?”

“That would be nice.”, Harvey smiled.

“Great, let me grab some change and stuff, I’ll be at your place in 45 minutes. Bye Mum. Thank you for dinner and call me if you need anything.”

“Thank you sweetheart and drive safely.”, Helena called from the porch.

Harvey stepped outside.

“I’ll come visit you on Sunday.”, he said. “Thank you for dinner.”

Helena pulled him into a hug and sighed.

“Don’t worry too much. There is nothing we can do until I get the results.”, she cupped his chin. “Enjoy your weekend with Paul. You two have a lot of patching up to do.”

“Bye Mum. See you on Sunday.”

Harvey walked to his car, started the engine and quickly drove away. He parked in a nearby alley and let out his anger and sadness. 

He couldn’t possibly lose his Mum. No way. No fucking way. He thought about calling Mike because he would know what to say, he would find the words to calm him down. But he couldn’t speak and he needed to be home for Paul’s arrival. 

 

“I love this picture.”, Paul said, looking at the photos on the wall. “We should totally do another one, we’ve changed in 4 years.”

“I haven’t.”, Harvey smiled teasingly. “You on the other side ? You’ve aged. Which is a good thing, now you look your age. Remember your surfer phase ?”

“Aah good ol’ days.”, Paul grinned. “Girls were crazy about me. I couldn’t catch a break.”

“You loved it.”

“I did.”, Paul replied with a smirk. 

“I’m completely drained.”, Harvey yawned. “Do you mind if I go to bed ?”

“Not at all, it’s late, go. I’m gonna read for a while and then I’ll go too. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”, Havey replied. “And thank you.”

 

An hour later, Harvey’s phone, which he had left on the kitchen counter, rang loudly in the silent living room, making Paul jump.

“Hey Mike.”, he said, picking up the call.

“Hey, how-“

“Before you say something embarrassing, this isn’t Harvey, it’s Paul.”, Paul chuckled.

“Oh hey Paul.”, Mike said in a confused tone. “Is Harvey alright ?”

“Yeah, he was tired, he went to bed.”

“Are you all still at your Mum’s ?”

“No, we came back a while ago…”, Paul said, rubbing his face. “Look Mike. I don’t know if I should tell you this, I have no idea if Harvey wants you to know but hum… Our Mum has breast cancer. She announced it after dinner.”

“What ?”, Mike gasped. “Oh my God ! How are you ? How is she ?”

“She’s good.”, Paul laughed nervously. “She’s strong. I mean, she got shot a couple of days ago, learns that she has cancer today and she’s the one telling us not to worry.”

“She’s your Mum… She’s probably scared as shit but doesn’t want you to be. How did Harvey take the news ?”

“Pretty badly as you can imagine…”, Paul sighed. “He threw up and cried for a while. I offered to stay with him for the weekend.”

“Good.”, Mike said. “I’ll call him tomorrow. Thank you Paul, have a good night.”

“Yeah, you too.”

 

 

Harvey stretched loudly and reluctantly left the warmth of his bed to use the bathroom.

The sun was up and there were noises coming from the kitchen.

“Hey.”, he yawned when he spotted his brother making breakfast.

“Coffee ?”, Paul smiled.

“God, yes.”

“Mike called last night.”, Paul announced.

“Oh. Did you pick it up ?”

“Yes. We chatted for a while, I told him about Mum.”

“Ok.”

Since waking up, Harvey hadn’t thought about his mother, up until his brother brought the subject, his sleepy head still hadn’t replayed last night’s events. 

He closed his eyes and sighed.

“Was I wrong ?”, Paul asked cautiously.

“No, no, it’s ok.”, Harvey replied. “It’s just that I… I had almost forgotten until you... I guess you just reminded me."

"Wanna hit the batting cages ?"

"Sure. Go shower, I'll go next."

 

 

"Alright guys. The MTV Video Music Awards are in less than 2 weeks and we're really pumped up ! Actually, I'm in a studio right now...", Mike moved the camera around. "We're rehearsing for our performance in an hour but before, I thought I'd do a video.", he settled the camera on the tripod and grabbed his guitar. "Ok so, someone really dear to me is going through tough times right now and I wanna dedicate this Mamas and Papas cover to him. It's actually called Dedicated To The One I Love.", he giggled, brushed the strings and began to sing. "While I'm far away from you my baby, I know it's hard for you my baby because it's hard for me my baby. And the darkest hour is just before dawn... Each night before you go to bed my baby, whisper a little prayer for me my baby, and tell all the stars above this is dedicated to the one I love..."

 

 

"Woow. Esay Tiger.", Paul chuckled when Harvey hit his first ball. "I can't believe you haven't practiced in 3 years !"

"I was captain before I sprained my shoulder, it's in my DNA.", Harvey replied, massaging his shoulder. "I may not be able to play anymore but I can still hit perfectly."

"Harvey...", Paul said, picking up the ball. "I'm sorry about what I said the other day at the hospital..."

"It's ok. We were all stressed and I can imagine how frustrating this has been and still is for you."

"You know when we were kids I used to wish I was the one with the deafness and bad eyes...", Paul said, looking away. "I know it's been hard for you too. I know you were bullied and I didn't step up for you when I should have and...", he looked at his twin. "I'm sorry. The girls and me have always felt somewhat less loved or... you know, less important. But deep down, we know it's not true and..." he paused. "It's just how it is but I want to bury the hatchet."

"There isn't a hatchet, Paul.", Harvey replied with a smile. "At least for me."

Paul smiled and patted his shoulder.

"Ok then. My turn.", he grinned.

 

 

Donna arrived at Harvey's later that day with a bottle of scotch and bags of candies.

"Good evening Specter brothers.", she smiled, putting her groceries on the kitchen counter. "Paul, it's been such a long time.", she poked him in the ribs before hugging him.

"I know. I've been pretty busy.", he replied.

"How many ?"

"Since last year ?", Paul asked, cocking his head to the side. "Hum. Tough question. I'd say 30. But don't ask me their names."

"God. You're such a slut.", Donna rolled her eyes.

"Hey !", he frowned, faking hurt. "Are you seeing someone ?"

"None of your business pretty boy.", Donna replied with a wink.

"That means yes. And the fact that you winked ? Well, that means you _like_ him."

"Maybe. You'll never know."

"Mysterious...", Paul smirked. "You know I like that..."

"We had our chance Paul. You blew it away, too bad for you.", Donna smiled.

Paul and her had dated for two years 10 years ago, much to Harvey's dismay at the time. They had broken up because Paul couldn’t stand how close Donna and his brother were.

"He's a lucky guy.", he sighed with a fond smile as the doorbell rang.

"Come on, guys, the pizzas are here. Get settled in the living room.", Harvey said, heading for the door to get said pizzas.

"What are we watching ?", Donna asked, kicking her shoes and gracefully taking a seat on the leather couch.

"Shutter Island.", Paul replied, pouring glasses of wine.

Harvey put the pizza boxes on the table and went to get napkins in the kitchen.

"Did you call Mike today ?", Donna asked, taking a big gulp of her wine.

"No, I was planning on calling him later, but we texted. Why ?"

"He posted a video for you on YouTube."

"For me ? Why did he not send it to me ?", Harvey asked in a confused tone.

"Because he posted it for the fans. But he says it's for you. I'll show it to you when the movie's over."

"Shhhh guys, it's starting !", Paul snapped.

Harvey and Donna looked at each other with raised eyebrows and when they realized they were making the exact same bitch face, they giggles silently.

 

 

"Oh God this movie broke my brain.", Paul yawned, finishing yet another glass of wine.

"It's the wine, not the movie.", Harvey replied, turning off the TV. "I'm going to call Mike."

" _Hello baby !_ _I miss you so so much. Love you baby._ ", Paul mocked in a baby voice, pretending to be talking on an invisible phone.

"You're just jealous because you got dumped.", Donna deadpanned.

"What ? Harv told you that ?"

"Of course, he tells me everything. You learned it the hard way.", she smiled wickedly, trashing the empty pizza boxes.

Harvey retreated to the balcony.

"Hey.", a sleepy Mike answered.

"Oh did I wake you up ?"

"Yeah but it's ok. I wanna talk to you.", Mike yawned. "How are you ?"

"Good. Paul's here and Donna came for dinner. We watched Shutter Island."

"That movie is crazy. It messed with your brain."

Harvey chuckled.

"Paul said the same thing.", he said.

"He told me about your Mum. I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, I know.", Harvey sighed. "I'm going to visit her tomorrow."

"Great. Tell her I think about her."

"I will."

"I-", they said in unison.

"Sorry, what were you going to say ?", Harvey apologized.

"No, nothing, go ahead."

"No, you go ahead."

"Ok.", Mike giggled. "I was about to say I miss you. You ?"

"The same thing.", Harvey laughed. "Do you know more about when exactly you're coming back to New York ?"

"I think it's next Friday.", Mike replied. "But since I have to go see _René_ , I think I'll be there Wednesday. That's 4 days."

Harvey smiled.

"Good.", he said. "I'll let you sleep, you must be exhausted with the rehearsals. Is it going alright ?"

"Yeah, it’s pretty good, I think we’re ready.”, Mike yawned again. “I have something to ask you but I don’t wanna do this over the phone. Dinner together on Wednesday ?”, he asked.

“Just dinner ?”, Harvey said playfully. “Ok, it’s a date.”

“Good. Goodnight.”

“Yeah, you too.”

_Love you._

 

“Hey Mike.”, Donna said when she picked up her phone the next morning.

She was trying to get Harvey’s coffee machine to work.

“Hey, how are you ?”

“I’m good. A little hangover but nothing too serious. You ?”

“Good, thanks.”, Mike replied. “Look, there’s something I want to ask you but, -“

“Say no more puppy, that’s yes.”, Donna cut him.

“Yes to what ? You don’t even know what I’m asking you !”

“Yes I do and that’s yes.”, Donna smiled, pressing the button again. “If Harvey’s on board with the idea, that is.”

“How the hell do you do that ?”, Mike asked in complete disbelief.

“I’m Donna. That’s how.”, she deadpanned, sighing loudly when the coffee finally poured down in her cup.

“Do you think he will ? Be on board with the idea ?”

“I think he won’t. At first. But then he’ll be thrilled. He really likes you.”

“I’m going to ask him on Wednesday.”, Mike explained. “I’m taking him out to dinner. How’s Stephen doing ?”

“He’s good.”, she replied, sipping on her coffee. “He wasn’t thrilled with me spending the night with my ex though.”, she laughed.

“What ? Paul’s your ex ?”

“Well, one of them. We dated a loooonng time ago. Harvey introduced us.”

“Ok, so what went wrong ?”

“You’re a nosy puppy.”

“Please, I’m bored out of my mind, I could use a little distraction.”, Mike pleaded. “Let me guess, he wasn’t good in bed.”

Donna snorted.

“Oh my God ! Sex actually was the thing that kept us together for 2 years.”, she laughed.

“I guess I can imagine.”, Mike giggled.

“Nah, he’s a great guy but my friendship with Harvey, which I place above everything else in the world, bothered him.”

“You forgot to mention that I have a perfect body.”, a voice startled her.

“Is that Paul ?”, Mike laughed.

Donna rolled her eyes.

“It’s rude to eavesdrop you know ?”, she said.

“Who is it ?”, Paul asked, picking up a mug in the cupboard.

“Mike.”, Donna replied in an annoyed voice. “Now do you mind if I finish my conversation ?”

“Hey Mike !”, Paul cheered loudly.

“Hey Paul !”, Mike replied.

“Ok you know what ?”, she said rolling her eyes again. “Let me put this on speaker so you two can chat. I’m going to take a shower.”

“Ok, bye Donna !”

“Bye puppy.”

She walked to Harvey’s room and knocked on the ajar door.

“Harvey ?”, she whispered, entering the room.

Harvey was asleep, sprawled face -down on top of the bed sheets.

She sat down beside him, her back resting on the headboard and began to stroke his hair.

“Wake up sleepyhead.”, she smiled.

“Hummmmm.”, Harvey mumbled, moving his head to her lap. “Did you and Paul sleep in the same bed ?”

“Hey ! Morning to you too Harvey. Why ?”

“I was just wondering.”

“Yeah well, stop wondering and wake up, it’s already 10 and you’re having lunch at your Mum’s, remember ?”, she said, getting of the bed.

“Hit a nerve, didn’t I ?”, Harvey said, smirking.

“I’m using your shower.”, she said, locking the door.

 

 

Wednesday came quickly as Harvey spent long hours at work trying to figure a way out of the mess Louis had just made and which had put the firm in jeopardy.

He was supposed to meet Mike at the restaurant they had had been the last time he was in New York but he still had a lot of paperwork to go through which he didn’t trust Tom with. So he had apologized and told Mike to wait for him at the condo, the concierge would show him up, and that they would order in.

But at 9, Mike showed up at the firm.

The 50th floor was dark except for a couple of computers displaying blue screensavers and everybody was gone for the evening.

Mike walked to the end of the corridor where one office was still alight. Harvey was sitting at his desk, visibly busy reading some piece of document. His sleeves were rolled up and his hair was mussed up. He looked tired. There was jazz music playing at a rather loud level and Harvey was delicately waving one of his hands in the air in sync with the music.

Mike’s heart started to race at the sight. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to try and still it. He watched as Harvey grabbed his phone and sighed before typing a quick text. Mike’s phone bipped and Harvey tilted his head up.

“Sorry…”, he said with an apologetic smile that could keep any serial killer out of jail.

“It’s ok.”, Mike winked, walking to the couch where he crashed with a sigh.

Neither of them had used the word “boyfriend”, they had never really discussed the status of their relationship but Harvey had hinted that he planned on being exclusive with Mike. So they were in a relationship, right ? So they were supposed to kiss when meeting. Still, Harvey hadn’t gotten up when Mike had come in.

“I’m almost done.”, Harvey said, a pen between his teeth.

Mike surveyed the room while waiting. There were autographed basketballs along the windowsill, autographed baseballs and a frame picture on his desk and funny artwork on the wall.

“What is _that_ ?”, Mike asked, pointing at a photograph of some kind of green-yellow lizard with doll sitting on his belly.

“It’s called art.”, Harvey replied without looking away from his documents.

Mike rolled his eyes.

“I mean, you’re the coolest guy in the world and that’s in your office ?”

Harvey popped his head up and grinned.

“I’m the _coolest guy in the world_ ?”, he asked, smiling broadly. “Now that’s a nice compliment. Thank you.”

“Yeah, I know, I’m all about generosity. I think that deserves a kiss.”, Mike smirked.

“You think ?”, Harvey smiled playfully. “Alright, I’ll come in early tomorrow to finish it, let’s call it a day.”, he added, cracking his neck.

 

 

They did finally kiss in the elevator down to the lobby. Where they had kissed goodbye a week before. And then in the cab. And in the elevator up to Harvey’s condo. And in Harvey’s condo.

Harvey showered, changed and ordered pizza while Mike spent an hour giving an interview for Rolling Stones.

“Who gives interviews at 10 in the evening ?”, Harvey asked, grabbing a slice of pizza.

“Me.”, Mike giggled. “The journalist lives in San Francisco, it’s only 7 pm over there.“

“That’s weird.”, Harvey said with his mouth full. “There’s cheese _in_ the crust ?”

“It’s not weird, it’s mind blowing !”, Mike grinned, mouth equally full. “And may I remind you that you said speaking with food in your mouth was disgusting.”

Harvey nudged him with his elbow.

“So what did you want to ask me about ?”, he asked.

“Oh yeah.”, Mike said, wiping the corners of his mouth. “Hum… You know we’re attending the VMAs on Sunday. Well, I, uh, I… Aaah I don’t know how to ask you this.”, he sighed noisily.

“Come on. Just spill it out.”, Harvey smiled and stroke his knee.

“Would you like to be my plus one ?”, Mike blurted out.

Harvey’s eyes widened and he smiled half-mocking, half-bewildered.

“What does that mean ?”, he chuckled.

“You don’t know what a plus one is ?”

“Of course I do !”, Harvey rolled his eyes. “But what does it mean here ? I get VIP access ?”

“Hum, yes, but not only.”, Mike blushed. “You kind of get to walk the red carpet with me.”

“Kind of ?”

“Well, not _kind of_. I… I’d like you to walk the red carpet with me as my… uh. I don’t know.”, Mike stuttered. “Would you ?”

Harvey grinned.

“I don’t know. You keep on starting sentences but you never finish them. I’d like the full context before making a decision.”, he deadpanned.

“You bastard !”, Mike laughed, climbing on his lap. “You know exactly what I mean.”

“No I don’t.”, Harvey replied, teasingly wrapping his arms around Mike’s waist, under his t-shirt.

“Ok.”, Mike whispered against his lips. “Let me put it this way.”, he said, tentatively licking Harvey’s mouth with the tip of his tongue. “I’d like to show off my impossibly hot boyfriend.”.

Harvey smiled and pulled him closer, crashing their mouth together. Mike moved his hands up to Harvey’s hair and moaned softly.

Harvey slipped his hands down Mike’s back to the back of his jeans, groaning with satisfaction upon realizing he wasn’t wearing any underwear. Mike pushed his ass against Harvey’s cool hands and gave his hair a gentle tug.

“I’m so hard for you Harvey…”, he whispered breathlessly, one of his hands leaving Harvey’s hair and sliding between their bodies to unzip his jeans. “Oh God…”, he moaned once his cock was free of its denim prison. “Touch me Harvey, touch me please…”

Harvey grabbed Mike’s cock and began to stroke it slowly but firmly.

Mike buried his head in the crook of Harvey’s neck, gently biting every patch of skin he could reach.

“Let’s get undressed.”, Harvey said.

Mike groaned when he let go of his cock and quickly drew his t-shirt over his head.

Harvey left to get lube and a condom from the bedroom.

Barely a minute later, they were back into their initial position, minus the clothes.

“So…”, Mike said, eyes half shut, rubbing his leaking cock against Harvey’s stomach. “What do you s-s-say ?”, he gasped when Harvey took both their cocks in one hand.

“You’re not really precise tonight.”, Harvey replied with an attempted smirk before taking Mike’s bottom lip between his teeth.

He gave their cocks a couple of long strokes and they both whimpered into the other’s mouth.

“Harvey, please… Lay d-down and let me f-f-uck you. Is that precise enough ?”

Harvey nodded, slid his tongue inside Mike’s mouth one last time and moved them into a lying position.

“I’ve thought about it every day since I left.”, Mike said, kneeling between Harvey’s legs and opening the lube jar. “I’ve thought about you all the time.”, he confessed, bending forward to kiss Harvey while pressing two lube-coated fingers at his entrance. “Have you ?”, he whispered. “Thought about me ?”

Harvey moaned and pushed against Mike’s fingers.

“Yes, yes, I have…”, he rasped. “All the time. I’ve missed you. Why can’t you… Aaahh.”, he whimpered when Mike inserted a third digit. “God… Mike.”

Mike worked his fingers for a moment before retrieving them. He wiped his hand with his discarded t-shirt and grabbed the condom.

Harvey watched as Mike rolled the condom down his throbbing cock. He had missed him so much. This, of course. Mike’s kisses, his touches, his warmth, his lust-filled eyes… he had missed everything about Mike. He had missed Mike. His boyfriend. He felt a clenching in his chest, the urge to shout his love for Mike, to confess his feelings here and now. But it wasn’t the right time.

Mike pushed inside of him in one languid thrust, his lips pressed on Harvey’s, panting into Harvey’s mouth.

“God, you feel so good…”, he gasped, pulling out completely before slamming back in. “Does my cock feel good ?”

“Yeah.”, Harvey moaned, bucking his hips.

“Tell me Harvey, tell me baby, tell me how you feel.”, Mike ordered breathlessly, pounding hard into him.

Harvey let out a loud groan.

“I… I love you Mike. I love you so much.”, he keened and came untouched, his hips jerking uncontrollably, his muscles clenching around Mike’s cock.

“God, Harvey…”, Mike whimpered, stilling his movements before coming hard in a loud cry. “Aaaah. Fuck...”

He collapsed on Harvey’s chest and they both let a couple of minutes pass to catch their breath.

“So ?”, Mike asked playfully, spreading the come across Harvey’s chest.

Harvey grabbed his hand.

“Stop it, it’s-“

“disgusting, I know.”, Mike smiled and kissed him on the lips. “So, wanna be my plus one ?”

Harvey smiled and pulled him into a deeper kiss.

“Yes”, he whispered against his lips. “I’ll let you show me off.”

“You’re so sexy…”, Mike whispered, placing soft kisses along his jaw line. “You’re gorgeous and sexy and smart and kind and funny and I love you too.”

Harvey’s heart skipped a beat and he looked down at Mike who was grinning against his chest.

“I can hear your heartbeat.”, Mike said with a yawn. “It tells me everything I need to know.”

“Good. Because I think I’m done for the day.”, Harvey chuckled. “Goodnight Mike.”

“Sleep well Gorgeous.”, Mike replied, kissing his neck.

 


	11. The Case of The Ex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your nice comments and kudos and to everyone who reads this !!!!  
> Hope you like this new chapter !  
> xoxo

"I'm ok Harvey. Stop asking me please. Just drive me home.", Helena snapped, her forehead pressed against the window.

Harvey pursed his lips and started the engine.

His mother had just had her third and last chemo session and looked nothing like "ok". "Very lucky", that's what the oncologist had said. The cancer was "gone", but she would still need to be checked very regularly, probably for the rest of her life. He didn't want to drive her home, he wanted her to stay at his condo to recuperate, to cook for her, to be there for her. But she had been adamant, she wanted to be home and she had friends visiting anyway, and she didn't want to be an intruder in Harvey's life when Mike was staying with him.

"Do you need me to go get groceries or anything ?", he asked.

"No thank you.", Helena replied with a weak smile. "I'm going to feel sick for a couple of days, there's not much I'll be able to eat. Bertha said she'd bring me some of her famous mafé."

Harvey sighed and turned the radio on. 

 

 

When he arrived at Pearson Specter after lunch, he was greeted by Donna at the elevator.

"How is she ?", she asked anxiously, handing a bagel and a coffee to Harvey.

"She says she's fine but she looked tired and sick..."

"Which she probably is.", Donna nodded. "Cameron Dennis called."

Harvey groaned.

"Did he say what for ?"

"Nope.", Donna replied. "But he sounded sneaky."

"He always is.", he stated, picking up the receiver for his office phone. "Can you call Thomas please ?"

Donna nodded and walked back to her area.

"Harvey Specter for Cameron Dennis please."

"Hello Harvey."

"Please make it quick, I have a meeting to attend in 5."

"How's you mother doing ?"

"Don't you fucking dare talk about my mother !", Harvey snapped. "Are you fucking stalking me ?"

"Relax Harvey !", Cameron mocked. "Stress is not good for you. You better start watching your health with that young twink of yours."

Harvey's grip on the receiver tightened and he closed his eyes to calm down. Cameron was trying to infuriate him and he wasn't going to give him that pleasure. When he opened them again, seconds later, Tom was knocking on the door. He gestured towards one of the chairs.

"What do you want Cameron ?", he asked through clenched teeth.

"Neal Caffrey was arrested again.", Cameron announced in a satisfied tone.

"When ?"

"This morning. I'm guessing he didn't call you this time ?"

"No he didn't. Where is he ?"

"He didn't call you.", Cameron replied. "He probably doesn't want you to know. I just wanted to let you know."

"Where. is. he ?", Harvey repeated, marking a threatening pause between each word.

"I just wanted to let you know. I'm not telling you. You're not his lawyer."

"I only have a couple of phonecalls to make to know.", Harvey scoffed. "Bye Cameron."

"Wait ! Fine, Harvey, I'll tell you for old time's sake.", Cameron mocked. "Same place he was brought last time."

Harvey hung up and got up, realizing he had not asked why Neal had been arrested. Cameron would probably not have told him anyway.

He suddenly remembered the young blond man sitting in front of his desk.

"Sorry Thomas, I've got to go.", he apologized, putting on his jacket. "Did you contact the potential witnesses ?"

"Yes, two of them agreed to meet me.", Tom replied with a proud smile.

"Great. Meet them and get them to testify. I'll be back later."

He quickly left his office, ignoring Donna and her quizzing look.

 

 

"Hey Harvey it's me. I'm done with rehearsals, we're going to grab a drink and then I'll come meet you at the firm. See you later, hum."

Mike hung up and put his phone back into his jean pocket.

"So, you and Harvey ?", Trevor asked with a teasing smile.

"What ?", Mike replied casually while storing his guitar into the truck of their van.

"You know what I mean.", Trevor laughed, nudging him. "Is this looooovvee ?"

"I think so.", Mike blushed.

"Mike Ross, you're blushing !", the dark-haired man exclaimed. "Is he a good fuck ?"

"Hey I'm not telling you !"

"Come on ! You _always_  tell me !"

"Well, not this time."

Trevor narrowed his eyes and smiled.

"That's serious then."

"Yes.", Mike replied. "He's coming with me to the VMA."

"As your boyfriend ?", Trevor asked with wide eyes.

"Yup.", Mike grinned proudly.

"God, I need to find a hot date too."

"Hey, you don't have the right to call him hot.", Mike frowned with a smile.

Trevor rolled his eyes.

"He's so hot, right ?", Mike grinned.

"You're such a kid.", Trevor replied, closing the truck door. "Let's go."

 

 

Harvey arrived at the now familiar station an hour later after spending the ride cursing on the trafic.

"Hi Sir.", he said to the officer at the reception desk. "I'm Harvey Specter and I'd like to see Neal Caffrey. He's been arrested this morning and needs a lawyer."

The officer, not the same than the last time, nodded and started checking in his computer.

"Mr. Caffrey's with his lawyer already.", he replied.

"May I ask who it is ?"

"A Mr. Tanner."

Harvey rolled his eyes and sighed noisily.

"Can I see Mr Tanner then ?"

"Let me escort you Sir.", the officer said.

An elevator ride later, the officer knocked on a door.

Travis Tanner opened the door, came out and closed it behind him.

"Specter.", he said with a smirk.

"Tanner.", Harvey replied sharply. "Is Neal in there ?"

"First name basis. You know Neal Caffrey ?"

"Yes. Long story. Can I see him ?"

"What for ?"

"I was his lawyer the 4 times he was arrested in the past. I need to talk to him."

"Awww, you're jealous because he didn't ask you to be his lawyer.", Tanner mocked. "That's cute. But no."

Harvey sighed.

"Neal !", he shouted.

"Shut up Specter ! He's my client !"

The door opened.

"Harvey ?", Neal asked, visibly surprised.

He was sporting a huge bruise on the temple and a black eye. His hair was a mess and his usually impeccable clothes were wrinkled.

"What happened ?", Harvey asked in a worried tone.

"Mr. Caffrey, please, go back in.", Tanner advised.

"Can I talk to you for a minute ?", Harvey asked.

Neal looked at Tanner and sighed.

"Please, come in.", he said, opening the door completely. "Mr. Tanner, can you wait outside for a minute please ?"

Tanner pursed his lips and nodded.

"Are you alright ?", Harvey asked, taking Neal's face in his hands.

Neal took his hands away and looked down.

"Why didn't you call me ? What happened ?"

"I got arrested for assault.", he replied.

"How ? What happened ?"

"I got in a fight with a guy...", Neal said, turning his back to Harvey. "I was having a drink with a couple of friends after a night out. It was early, there was this one bar that was still opened and we were a bit drunk...", he sighed. "Anyway, this guy came up to our table and started insulting us, saying we're fags and we shouldn't be allowed in bars, that there were plenty of gay bars. He wouldn't stop calling us names and provoking us, even when the owner of the bar told him to leave us alone.", he turned back around. "At one point, he tried to touch one of my friends, you know, to get a reaction, and well, I lost it."

"Why didn't you call me ?", Harvey asked calmly.

"You've already saved my ass too many times Harvey."

"You should have called me."

"How did you know I was here ?"

"The DA called me."

"The DA ? Oh my God, I'm dead !"

"Nah, don't worry. He's an asshole, he just wanted to make sure I knew you had chosen someone else to represent you."

"I'm sorry Harvey.", Neal said, biting his bottom lip.

"It's ok. Just get rid of Tanner. I'll take your case."

"Can I do that ?"

"Of course, just pay him for the hours he spent with you, I'll take care of the rest."

"Ok.", Neal sighed. "Thank you Harvey. Again..."

 

 

When Mike arrived at the firm later that afternoon, he walked to Donna's desk and smiled.

"Hey Mike.", she smiled back. "Harvey's busy with a client.", she said, pointing at the glass walls.

Mike looked inside and saw Harvey and his client, Neal he recognized even if he had his back turned.

"Is that Neal ?", he asked.

"Yes. He got arrested this morning."

Mike rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Let me stop you right there Puppy.", Donna smiled. "Harvey's the most faithful man I know."

Mike pursed his lips and shrugged.

"There's a conference room right there.", she added, indicating another glass walled room. "You can wait for him in there, ok ?"

"Yeah...", he sighed and walked inside the large conference room.

"Mike ! My friend !", Louis exclaimed, running after him.

"Hey Louis.", Mike smiled, happy to have some company while waiting. 

"I googled you and I bought your CD.", the older man grinned proudly.

"Cool, thanks. You like it ?"

"Well.", Louis made a funny face. "It's not really my _tasse de thé_  but I like some of it. Did Donna offer you something to drink ? Are you going to have drinks together ? Can I come along ?"

"Actually, I'm here to see Harvey.", Mike replied with a smile.

"Harvey ?", Louis asked with a disgusted look. "What could you possibly want from that arrogant bastard ?"

"You have no idea.", Mike teased. "But he's busy right now so Donna told me to wait here."

"Oh yeah, he's busy taking care of his on and off model-slash-felon boyfriend. Another probono case. I swear Harvey's going to ruin this firm sooner or later.", Louis huffed.

"Is he aften in trouble ?"

"Always.", Louis replied and he looked around to see if nobody was watching before adding in a whisper. "I've been told he was arrested for solliciting."

Mike raised his eyeborws.

"He's helpless when it comes to that man. I've always seen him with younger men, I bet he likes to dominate them."

Though he wanted to smile at how far off Louis was, Mike couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.

Harvey appeared in the room.

"Donna told me you were there.", he said in a serious voice. "I'm almost finished. Louis, what are doing here ?"

"I was taking care of your guest while you're busy flirting with your boyfriend. What has he done this time ?"

Mike saw the tiniest bit of embarassment creep across Harvey's face but Louis probably didn't notice.

"He's not my boyfriend and I'm not flirting, I'm working, unlike you.", he snapped back.

"Trouble in paradise ?", Louis mocked. "Daddy's upset with his boy ? Nothing a good spanking couldn't make right I'm sure."

Harvey's nostrils flared and he his jaw clenched.

"Louis.", he began to say in a threatening low voice. "As you probably have noticed, you're working for Pearson _Specter_. And that makes me your boss. So either you get the hell out and start earning the good money we pay you every month or you continue with your inappropriate banter and you can start packing your shit and leave my firm."

Louis' eyes narrowed and he raised an eyebrow.

"You know what's inappropriate Harvey ? Bringing a prostitute into this respectable firm.", he replied.

Harvey closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that because I'm tired and unfortunately, breaking your jaw is breaking the law. Just get the fuck out.", he said, his fists tightening into balls.

Louis smirked and left the room through the other door.

Harvey cleared his throat and looked at Mike. His eyes instantly softened and he smiled.

"I'm sorry about that.", he said. "I'll be right with you."

"It's ok. Take your time.", Mike replied with a smile.

Harvey winked and walked away.

 

20 minutes later, Mike watched Harvey walk a bruised Neal back to the elevator. They hugged and Harvey waved at Neal with a smile as the doors closed. 

"What happened with Neal ?", Mike asked when Harvey walked into the conference room.

"He got into a fight this morning.", Harvey replied, motioning towards his office.

"And he called you ?"

"No.", Harvey replied, closing the door behind them. "He called another lawyer but the DA, my old boss, called me to brag about it and well, I wanted to know what happened so I went to the station and convinced Neal to let me represent him."

"Why ?"

"What do you mean why ?"

"Why do you want to help him if he didn't call you in the first place ?"

Harvey smiled.

"What's so funny ?", Mike asked, unable to hide his frustration.

"You're jealous."

"What if I am ?", Mike snapped. "He's your ex."

"Yes.", Harvey confirmed, taken aback by Mike's sudden angry tone. "And he's in trouble so I'm just trying to help him."

"You said last time was a mistake."

"I said sleeping with him was a mistake.", Harvey corrected. "Not representing him. What's wrong Mike ?"

Mike rolled his eyes and walked to the door.

"Nothing.", he replied.

"Mike. Stay.", Harvey ordered, grabbing his arm.

"I'm not having this conversation here.", Mike spat out, swatting Harvey’s grip away and looking down. "Not with this Harvey.", he added, making a general gesture in the direction of Harvey.

"What conversation ? There's nothing more to say. Neal got arrested, I'm trying to help him, that's all there is to say."

Mike opened the door but Harvey pushed it shut.

"Let me go !", Mike shouted, his eyes locked on his shoes.

Donna looked at Harvey with worried eyes from her desk and got up but Harvey shook his head.

"Look at me Mike.", Harvey said, cupping his chin to lift his head. "What's wrong for God's sake ?", he asked when he met Mike's eyes.

They were defiant and filled with anger.

"Nothing.", Mike repeated through clenched teeth.

Harvey sighed and let go of the door.

Mike opened it and left without looking back.

"Mike !", Harvey called.

"The puppy's jealous.", Donna stated.

 

Mike rushed to the elevators and angrily pressed on the call button. Harvey was just trying to help Neal ? Yeah, right. Neal had called another lawyer but _of course_ , Harvey had to be the knight in shining armor. 

"Hey Mike ! Miss me already ?", Trevor joked when he picked up.

"I need weed."

"Wow, what happened ? Are you alright ?"

"Yeah."

"Ok.", Trevor replied, unconvinced. "I have some, wanna have a drink and a smoke ? Obviously we cannot smoke at the hotel but I know a great place."

"Cool, I'll meet you at the hotel in 30 minutes."

He hung up and his phone bipped.

"Mike, please come back. Let's talk about it, I hate to see you upset."

Mike scoffed and shoved his phone back into his jacket pocket.

 

 

Harvey had tried to call Mike for the entire evening. He had even called the hotel where the rest of the band was staying. Jenny had told him that Trevor and Mike had left around 6. 

At 11, as he was turning off the lights in the living room, ready to go to bed, he heard a pounding on the door.

"Harveeeyyyy !"

He recognized Mike's voice and braced himself before opening the door to what he thought was probably a very drunk young man.

Mike almost fell headfirst when Harvey opened the door.

"Am I interrupting something ?", he asked with a knowing look.

"Like what ?", Harvey sighed, shifting to the side so Mike could get in.

"I don't know, like you and freaking Mr. Universe fucking ?", Mike replied, checking around the apartment.

"Are you drunk ?"

"Nope. I'm high."

"Great."

"Where is he ?"

"Stop it Mike, you're being ridiculous.", Harvey ordered sharply. 

"Oh I'm being ridiculous now ?", Mike huffed.

"Look, you're stoned and you're overreacting, I don't want to get in a fight with you so just go to bed, ok ?", Harvey offered, gently patting Mike's shoulder. "We'll talk about it tomorrow if you want."

"I'm not sleeping in your bed !", Mike snapped, taking a couple of steps back. "Not after what I'm sure happened with Neal !"

Harvey shook his head in bewilderment. This was the fucking Twilight Zone.

"Fine.", he said. "Here's the door if you wanna go and here's the couch if you wanna sleep. Goodnight."

Mike opened his mouth to speak but Harvey cut him by retreating to his room.

"Harvey...", he heard him whine.

 

Harvey was woken up in the middle of the night by a weight shifting on the mattress. 

He felt a warm body, Mike's, curling up beside him under the cover. He reeked of weed.

"I'm sorry Harvey. I love you.", he whispered, burying his head in the crook of Harvey's neck.

Harvey sighed and pulled him closer.

 

 

The next morning, Harvey discreetly left the bed, took a shower, got dressed and finally settled in the kitchen with a coffee and today's newspaper, which was delivered every morning on his doorstep.

"Hey.", Mike said shyly when he eventually got up.

"Hey.", Harvey replied, not looking up from his article.

Mike licked his lips and cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry Harvey."

Harvey put his paper down and studied Mike for a moment. He was in his boxers, eyes red from smoking and he had a serious case of bed head, which could have been endearing if Harvey wasn't still upset.

"What happened Mike ?", he asked. 

"I don't know.", Mike sighed, sitting around the counter. "I overreacted. I'm sorry."

"Overreacting is an understatement here, Mike.", Harvey scoffed, grabbing an apple and taking a generous bite.

"When I saw him... I, I couldn't help but think about you know... I'm sorry, that was stupid. I know I should trust you but..."

"Mike.", Harvey cut him. "What happened between Neal and me was a mistake, I told you. And I believe I also told you that if he needed a lawyer, I'd be there."

"Yeah but he already had a lawyer, why did you take his case ?"

"I shouldn't have to justify my work decisions to you but anyway... I chose to help Neal for two reasons. First because the lawyer he had called is one of the few people I totally despise, and second because I know Neal, his past brushes with the law and I still care about what could happen to him."

Mike raised an eyebrow and a nervous smile started spreading across his face.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better ? That you still care about him ? And that you didn't want some lawyer you hate defending him ?", Mike laughed nervously. "Well, I'm not really familiar with the law, but I'd say this would not hold up in front of a jury."

Harvey got up from his chair and put his empty cup in the sink.

"I have to go.", he sighed.

"What ? You said we could talk about it if I wanted to !"

"I tried.", Harvey snapped back. "But whatever I say is wrong. What the hell do you want me to say, Mike ?"

"Not that you still care about your ex _obviously_ !", Mike scoffed.

"Well, I do. I don't hate him. He's my ex, not my enemy. I don't see why you're freaking out like that."

Mike kept his blue eyes and deep frown fixed on Harvey.

"You once told me I was insecure.", Harvey said, grabbing his briefcase. " _That's_ being insecure.", he pointed at Mike. "Don't forget your appointment with René. You may not trust me but he's the best."

Mike scoffed again and Harvey left the condo resisting the urge to slam the front door shut.

 

 

Mike reluctantly entered the small boutique.

"Bonjour.", a dandy looking man politely welcomed him.

"Bonj... Hello Sir. I'm Mike Ross, I have an appointment with René."

"That would be me.", the man smiled. "Nice to meet you Mr. Ross, follow me."

They entered a square room with mirror walls.

"So, Harvey told me you needed a tux for a special event.", he said, taking out a measuring ribbon out of a luxurious sewing box. "Take you clothes off please."

"Hum, ok.", Mike replied, taking off his t-shirt.

"So you're a friend of Harvey's ?"

"Well, hum, yeah."

René nodded appreciatively when Mike was down to his boxers. 

"He told me you'd be fun to dress.", he smiled, crouching down in front of him. "Voyons...", he hummed.

Mike tried to stay still while René took his measurements.

"When do you need the tux to be ready ?"

"Sunday ?", Mike replied.

"3 days. That's short.", René sighed. "But doable."

He got back up and grabbed a folder.

"Here are the models I have thought about given what Harvey has told me about you.", he said, handing the folder to Mike. "Is there one that you think you'd like ?"

Mike opened the folder and flicked through the 8 pages of headless bodies wearing tuxes. They all looked pretty much the same and there were samples of fabric stapled on every page.

"They all look good on these guys, but they're supermodels, a garbage bag would fit them.", Mike smiled.

"Actually, it's just one man and he's not a model.", René corrected with a knowing smile. "He's a managing partner in a law firm."

"This is Harvey ?", Mike asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes dear. You probably know that he can never say no to anybody. Well, I asked him to be my model and of course, he said yes."

"Which one would you suggest ?"

René took the folder from Mike's hands and picked up the fourth page.

"This one.", he said, handing the page to Mike.

Mike caressed the fabric between his thumb and index finger.

"You think I could pull that off as well as Harvey ?"

"Actually, I think you'll look ravishing once I'm done.", the tailor smiled. "With that great ass of yours, the jacket is going to fall perfectly."

Mike blushed and quickly grabbed his discarded clothes.

"Ok then.", he stuttered. "When can I come to pick it up ?"

"Saturday night. I'll give you a call when it's ready."

"Thank you."

 

 

"What's wrong Donna ?", Harvey asked as they were both waiting for the elevator to get a hotdog. 

"I broke up with Stephen."

"Oh.", Harvey replied with a sad face. "Why ?"

"I wasn't committed a 100% and hum..."

"Don't tell me you've been in contact with Paul.", Harvey said with a pointed look.

"I have."

"I knew it ! After your sleepover, I knew something had happened."

"Nothing happened.", Donna said, pressing the button to the ground floor. "I just realized Stephen wasn't the one."

Harvey shook his head in disapproval.

"I'm a grown-up Harvey, I know what I'm doing.", Donna snapped. "How did it go with the bratty teenager ?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh no Harvey ! I just confessed to still having feelings for your brother so you don't get to shut me out on your problems with Mike."

Harvey laughed.

"So you have _feelings_  for Paul ?"

"I, I might.", Donna replied, realizing what she had confessed. "But let's not change the subject. We're talking about you and Mike."

"He can't get over the fact that I chose to represent Neal.", Harvey sighed. "He doesn't trust me."

"You guys barely know each other, Harvey. You can't expect him to trust you already."

"I know. But it's like he expects me to hate Neal and never speak to him again or something. I said I still cared about him. I can right ? I mean, we're not together anymore, but I can still care about him, right ? Two hotdogs please, lots of mustard.", he said to the vendor. 

Donna smiled.

"I wouldn't like it either.", she said. "And Mike's away most of the time, you guys should totally address this issue by the way, so he needs to be reassured."

"Jealousy is ugly.", Harvey said, handing a couple of bills. "Thank you Sir."

Harvey's phone bipped.

"I didn't know you were also a model. Went to see René. He's creepy. Wanna have lunch with me ?"

"Is this the puppy ?", Donna asked, biting into her hotdog.

"His name is Mike.", Harvey said, typing his reply.

"Yeah I know, but he's cute as a puppy. What did he want ?"

"To have lunch with me. Told him I already ate."

Donna sighed.

When they reached the building doors, Mike was talking to Steve, the security guard.

"Come on ! I was here yesterday, you've seen me, I'm a friend of Harvey's, call him."

"It's ok Steve.", Harvey said, showing his badge.

"Harvey.", Mike jumped and smiled sheepishly. "Hey Donna."

"Hey _puppy_. I'll leave you two alone.", she said with a wink.

"Wanna grab a coffee ?", Mike asked tentatively.

Harvey nodded and they walked through the sliding doors.

"Look, Harvey.", Mike began to say. "I'm sorry. I know I already told you that and I don't know why I freaked out but I...", he stopped and ran a hand through his hair. "You're right, I'm insecure. I have no idea what I did to deserve someone like you and it scares me. I don't want to lose you.", he said, looking down.

He did look like a puppy trying to make up for a mess he just did.

"Mike.", Harvey said, trying to sound serious even though he knew he had already forgiven him. "If we're gonna do this, with you on the other side of the world most of the time, you have got to trust me."

"I know...", Mike replied looking up.

Harvey smiled and cupped his face before kissing him.

"What the ?", a voice interrupted them.

"Louis.", Harvey said, rolling his eyes.

"What the hell is going on ?", Louis asked with disbelief.

"What does it look like ?", Harvey replied, rolling his eyes again.

Louis made a disgusted face.

"I liked you, Mike. I really did.", he just said, walking away.

Harvey burst out laughing.

"I gotta go back.", he said, kissing Mike again. "I promise I'm going to be home early."

Mike hummed and pulled him closer.


	12. The First Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loooonnggg chapter ! Hope you enjoy it !  
> Thank you so much for reading my storyyyy :)  
> (The song appearing in this chapter is, once again, from Angus and Julia Stone. Take a listen here : http://youtu.be/V8DA0q8MnEE)

When he got back to his condo at 7, Harvey found Mike in the kitchen, putting the final touches to a delicious-looking entree.

"It smells great.", Harvey said, wrapping his arms around Mike's waist from behind.

Mike turned his head, his lips in a pout asking for a kiss, and Harvey happily obliged. 

"I dropped by my mother’s. She says hi.", he said, taking off his jacket.

"How is she ?"

"Tired. But she's a real trooper. She'll never admit to being in pain.", Harvey replied, heading to the bedroom to change. "I think Donna and Paul want to give their relationship another try."

"Oh yeah ? What do you think ?"

"I don't know.", Harvey replied, pulling up his home pants. "It's been 10 years, they both have changed, it could work."

"Alright, dinner's ready !", Mike announced triumphantly.

Harvey washed his hands and sat at the table.

"Here.", Mike said, putting a plate in front of him. "I was thinking about something while cooking", he said, slicing a couple of bread pieces. 

"Hum.", Harvey urged him to carry on with a tilt of his chin, mouth already full of bread.

"Tomorrow's Friday so I was thinking that we could have a party. Here.", Mike grinned, gesturing around the room. "That way you'd get to know my friends and I'd get to know yours. What do you think ?"

Harvey made a face half-smile half-grimace.

"Come on !", Mike pleaded, taking a mouthful of his salmon tartare. "I'll take care of everything."

"How many people do you want to invite ?"

"Well, obviously Jenny, Trevor and Tess. Maybe Simon, our manager, so that he can meet you before the VMA."

Harvey put down his fork and knife and thought about it for a moment.

"That's a really short notice.", he remarked.

"I know, but you can call them now !", Mike grinned.

"I bet you've already asked your friends.", Harvey sighed.

"I _may_ have told them that there _might_ be a party tomorrow."

Harvey sighed again and got up to get his phone. He texted Donna, Paul, his sisters and his Harvard friends Will and Ben. He almost sent it to Neal but decided against it in the end. No need to add gasoline to the fire. Besides, Neal probably wasn’t in the mood to party with his upcoming hearing.

"Alright.", he smiled.

"Sweet !", Mike squealed.

Harvey shook his head with a grin. Seeing Mike smile was refreshing. He always seemed so excited about everything. Not that Harvey was jaded but jumping with joy just wasn't his style. 

"So ? Who did you invite ?", Mike asked, putting their plates away.

"My sisters, my brother, because Donna would have asked if he could come, Donna and Will and Ben, two of my best friends from Harvard."

"Lawyers ?"

"Will is a lawyer. Obviously not as successful as the great Harvey Specter, _there can be only one_. But he does well.”, Harvey smirked. “Ben graduated but never practiced. He’s been trying his hand at acting.", he added, taking a generous gulp of wine.

His phone bipped.

"Let's see.", he said narrowing his eyes. "Will asks if he can bring his wife Alicia. Of course he can.", he said to himself, typing a reply.

"This is going to be great."

"Oh, and no weed.", Harvey warned.

Mike rolled his eyes.

"Of course not.", he muttered.

 

By 10, as they were watching reruns of Supernatural, cuddling on the couch, Harvey's phone bipped again.

"Ben is coming.", Harvey said with a yawn. "Everybody's coming."

Donna had replied shortly after Will and Paul almost instantly after her, making Harvey think they were probably together. Ellen had said she would come with Antony and Geraldine had replied that she would drop by, Christopher would stay with their Mum and their son, but not stay long because they were flying back to California the next morning.

"I only have an interview and photoshoot at 10 then I'll have the whole afternoon to go shopping and get everything set up."

"I'll try to leave early but I think I have a client meeting at 5.", Harvey said, yawning again.

"Do you want to go to bed ?", Mike asked, placing a soft kiss on Harvey's neck.

"I think so."

Harvey grabbed the remote and turned the TV off.

"Shower.", he said, gently smacking Mike's ass.

"You know, I was waiting for you to shower.", Mike replied with a mischievous smile.

They didn't fuck in the shower, they didn't even try, that's not what showers are made for, it's slippery, uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous. _Harvey’s words_. But that didn't stop them from kissing desperately, engaging in foreplay and falling onto the bed afterwards, bodies still damp rubbing against each other.

"When are you going back to Toronto ?", Harvey whispered while kissing Mike's jaw line.

"I don't want to think about it...", Mike replied, taking Harvey's hard cock in his hand, hoping to bring him back to the moment, back to the present. 

"Jesus yes...", Harvey silently moaned.

"I want you to do the work tonight.", Mike smiled, rolling them over so Harvey was on top.

Harvey smiled back and sat up before putting his knees on either side of Mike's hips and leaning forward to kiss him, rubbing their cocks together.

Breaking the kiss, Harvey crawled his way to the nightstand and grabbed the bottle of lube.

“No more condoms.”, he sighed, letting his shoulder sag in disappointment. 

Mike whined and sat up.

“Come on ! This should be first on your shopping list when you have a partner.”, he pouted, crossing his arms.

Harvey smiled apologetically and moved to straddle Mike, pulling him into a kiss.

“There are other things we can do…”, he breathed into the kiss.

“Like… what ?”, Mike asked teasingly, panting from arousal.

Harvey placed a hand against Mike’s chest and pushed him down onto the mattress. He trailed kisses from his mouth to his neck down to his chest and finally nuzzling his belly button. 

“Like that.”, he rasped, taking Mike’s cock in his mouth.

Mike moaned, burying his fingers in Harvey’s hair and tugging gently. 

“Har… yes, yes.”, he moaned, squeezing his eyes shut.

This definitely was nice too.

 

 

“Whose idea was it ?”, Donna asked, when Harvey arrived at the office the next morning bearing two coffees.

“The coffee ?”, Harvey asked, handing out a cup.

“The party, idiot.”, she sighed, grabbing the offered coffee.

Harvey huffed and walked into his office.

“Remind me to never bring you coffee again if that only gets me mockery.”

“ _Thank you_  Harvey.”, Donna said theatrically. 

“It was Mike’s idea of course.”

“I knew it.”, Donna smiled. 

“Oh, since you mention the party, were you with Paul last night ?”

Donna blushed. 

Harvey had only seen her blush once in the last 16 years and it had been the very time they had met, when Harvey had introduced himself. 

She opened her mouth to speak but she didn’t and finally closed it again. Speechless Donna, now  _that_  was a first.

“It is the most compelling admission I’ve seen in my life.”, Harvey laughed. “I hope you two know what you’re doing.”, he added, opening the lid of his computer.

“First of all, I did not admit to anything.”, Donna refuted, snapping back into her usual praying mantis mode. “Second of all, I will not admit to anything regarding where I was last night because that’s none of your business.”

Harvey gaped in total disbelief.

“Ok.”, he said, eyebrows reaching for the ceiling. “Since when is your love life  _none of my business_  ?”

“Since it’s your brother we’re talking about.”, she replied. “I’m sorry Harvey, but I wanna give it a real try and you know why it ended the first time… He doesn’t… He  _cannot_ understand our bond and the fact that we tell each other everything. So let’s just not share that aspect of my life anymore, ok ?”, she asked, smiling apologetically. “For now.”

Harvey looked at her for a moment, his mouth curling down in disappointment. His eyes moved from her to his computer screen and he began to type a fake email. Donna took it as her cue and left the office with a sigh.

She sat back at her desk and put her earbuds on, knowing Harvey would probably sulk and ignore her for a while. 

 

 

“Do you need help for the party ?”, Jenny asked, wiping the heavy make up off her face with a wet towel. 

“Yeah, why not, thank you.”, Mike replied, folding the lended clothes and putting them back in a suitcase.

“So ?”, she smiled. “It’s going pretty fast, uh ? It wouldn’t surprise me if you two got married before the end of the year.”

Mike smiled sheepishly.

“I know but it’s like…”, Mike paused to think of the right word to use. “It feels natural.”

“Remember what you used to say ?  _I’ll never fall in love again, blablabla, I need my freedom blablabla, I’m not the relationship kind blablabla…_ ”

“I get it.”, Mike smiled, nudging her. “I know it goes against everything I used to preach. I still can’t believe how fast it all went. It’s like I meet this gorgeous man at a concert and the next thing I know I’m crazy in love and I miss him when we’re not touching.”

“Awwww it’s cute.”, Jenny grinned. "I can't wait to get to know him better. Honestly, from what I remember, he looks like an asshole."

"He does look like a hardass but he's so nice, you wouldn't believe it.", Mike replied with an enamored grin.

“I’m happy for you. I wish it could happen to me.”

“It will. I’m sure it will. You’re beautiful and smart and funny, anyone would be lucky to be with you.”

“Thank you…”, she said, blushing.

“You know Trevor likes you, right ?”, Mike asked tentatively.

“Yeah, I like him too.”

“You know what I mean. He  _likes_  you.”

“Naah he doesn’t. I’ve seen him flirt with Tess.”, Jenny’s cheeks reddened even more. “Beside, that wouldn’t be good for the band. Imagine if we got together and then broke up and suddenly couldn’t stand each other. It could put everything at risk.”

“I’m telling you Jen, he likes you.”, Mike insisted, grabbing his jacket. 

“Come on, silly, let’s go shopping !”

 

 

Harvey didn’t speak to Donna until lunch only to let her know he would be back at 3.

“You going to mope like this all day ?”, she asked, eyes fixed on her computer.

“ _None of your business_.”, Harvey replied, heading towards the elevator.

Donna huffed and jumped on her heels to catch up with him.

“That’s not fair Harv.”, she whispered pointedly.

“What’s fair nowadays anyway ?”, Harvey replied with a smirk, not even bothering to whisper.

“Don’t get all Harvey Specter on me.”, Donna snapped loudly, grabbing his arm. 

Everybody in the corridor and nearby cubicles stopped and stared.

Harvey pursed his lips and slowly but firmly untangled her fingers from his arm and pushed the elevator call button.

“Fine.”, Donna whispered. “I’m not going to freak out because everybody’s watching and we’ve worked hard to make those people believe you’re a heartless bastard, which you  _are_ right now. But I won’t let that slide.”, she said the last part loudly and walked away.

 

 

When he got back from his client lunch and deposition, Harvey found his desk covered in colorful sticky notes. One on his computer, one on his phone, one on his stack of messages, one on a dry cleaning ticket and one her can opener that she had placed on the computer keyboard. They all read “None of my business”.

Harvey rolled his eyes, grabbed the can opener and walked to the door.

“Donna.”, he said, standing on the threshold.

She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her.

“Let me guess, _none of your business_ ?”, he smiled.

She pursed her lips to suppress a smile. If Harvey had troubles staying mad at her, she found it impossible to even  _be_  mad at him, though she’d never admit it.

“I’m sorry Donna.”, he said in a soft voice.

She held up a finger to her ear and frowned dramatically.

Harvey sighed in defeat.

“I’m sorry Donna.”, he almost shouted so that everyone could hear. “Happy ?”, he whispered, handing her the can opener. "For the record, you started it."

She rolled her eyes, putting the can opener back into her secret drawer. 

“What time tonight ?”, she asked.

“8…ish ?”

 

 

Mike was stocking up on booze when his cell rang.

“Mike, there are paparazzi  _in_  the shop.”, she said in a small voice. “Trevor said there already are picture of us two online.”

“What ?”, Mike exclaimed looking around. 

There was a photographer taking pictures a couple of steps away.

“Hey !”, Mike shouted, tucking his phone into his pocket. “What do you think you’re doing ?”

“Hey sorry kid, I’m doing my job.”, the man explained as he kept snapping.

“It’s your job to bother me while I’m shopping ?”, Mike said, feeling his cheeks burning with anger.

A woman wearing a Wallmart lanyard asked the paparazzi to leave the premises or she would call the police.

“This is a public space, you’re not allowed to take picture here.”, she said, stepping between Mike and the camera lens.

The man reluctantly dropped his camera and walked away.

“Thank you M’am.”

“It’s ok.”, she smiled. “There is a backdoor you can use and we can get these delivered to your home if you’d like.”

“Oh that would be great, thank you so much.”, Mike smiled gratefully. 

 

 

“Harvey.”, Donna called through the Intercom. “Wanna see the puppy shopping ?”

Harvey got up and walked to her desk.

“What do you mean ?”

“Look." she said, turning the monitor. “A paparazzi caught him at Wallmart. He looks  _pissed_.”

Harvey smiled. 

“They can’t take pictures inside public stores.”, he said. “He knew Mike wouldn’t know that.”

“Apparently, the store manager scared him away and Mike and Jenny escaped through a back door.”, Donna said, reading the article accompanying the pictures. “They’re getting famous… After Sunday, you’ll be somewhat famous too. Are you ready for that ?”

Harvey looked at the screen again and sighed.

“They won’t be interested in me.”, he said, walking back in his office. “I’m not even photogenic.” 

Donna rolled her eyes and smiled to herself. His cluelessness never ceased to amaze her.

 

 

Mike shushed his friends and picked up his phone.

"Hey Harvey ! Everything's almost ready !", he said.

"I'm sorry, the meeting's taking longer than I expected, I will not be able to make it before 8.", Harvey apologized. "But I just sent Donna home, she's going to help you. Is that music playing ?"

"Yeah, Trevor, Jenny and Tess are already here, they brought their instruments, we're having a little concert. And they helped me with the cooking."

"I'm glad to hear that, I was actually afraid you were going to buy beer and chips.", Harvey laughed.

"Someone told me once that first impressions last.", Mike said in a mock-serious tone. "And I want to make a good first impressions with your friends."

"They're going to love you.", Harvey smiled fondly. "I gotta go, I'll see you later."

"Yeah, hurry !"

 

 

Donna entered the building 45 minutes later. Paul was finishing his paperwork, he'd said he would come right afterwards. 

"Good evening.", the concierge welcomed her.

"Good evening.", she smiled.

She walked to the elevators and noticed a handwritten note taped right above the call button.

 

> Hello neighbors ! We're having a party tonight. There may be noise but we'll try to keep the inconvenience to a minimum. Don't hesitate to drop by ! Thank you for your understanding ! :)
> 
> Harvey and Mike - Top Floor

She giggled and stepped inside the cabin.

The doors were about to close when she saw a hand slide inside to stop them.

"Donna."

"Hey Ben.", she smiled. "How are you ?"

"Good, you ? How long has it been ? A year ?", the man smiled.

"Too long !", Donna replied with a wink. "How have you been ? When are you going to finally get an Oscar ?"

"Haha.", Ben rolled his eyes. "Have you met Mike yet ?"

"Yes. He's a nice guy. I'm warning you though.", she said with a serious look. "He's _young_."

Ben smiled.

"They're all young !"

"Mike is 21."

"What ?", Ben gasped. "Oh my God ! I thought Neal was young, but 21 ? Seriously ?"

"I know.", Donna said, stepping out of the elevator. "But they're cute together."

"Is that coming from Harvey's condo ?", Ben asked with a worried look.

Music could be perfectly heard from the landing and Donna recognized Mike's singing.

She knocked loudly on the door and rang the bell a couple of times.

"Donna !!", Mike exclaimed, opening the door.

"Hey puppy.", she replied with a smile. "This is Ben Affleck, one of Harvey's best friends. Ben this is Mike Ross, Harvey's boyfriend."

"Hey I'm not _one of his best friends_.", Ben said playfully. "I'm his only best friend. Nice to meet you Mike."

"Nice to meet you too Ben.", Mike shook his hand. "Weren't you in Daredevil ?"

Ben smiled sheepishly.

"Yup.", he replied.

"Oh my God, I loved that movie !"

"Well, that makes one of us.", Ben giggled, taking off his jacket.

"Oh my God puppy, what have you done to Harvey's living room ?", Donna asked with wide eyes.

"What ? I just pushed the furniture to the sides !"

"Harvey's going to freak out.", she laughed nervously.

"I told him I would take care of everything and he didn't say anything about the decorating.", Mike shrugged. "Come on in Ben !", he smiled.

20 minutes later, Paul and Mike's manager arrived, followed by Ellen and her husband.

"Harvey's not here yet ? What kind of host does that ?", Paul asked teasingly. "Gimme a drink !"

"You didn't change ?", Donna asked with a frown.

"What ? You expected me to wear a suit ?"

"No, if you were wearing a suit, I would not be able to tell you from Harvey after a couple of drinks.", Donna deadpanned. "But your uniform is scary. Can you at least get rid of the bulletproof vest ?"

"I see what you're doing here.", Paul smirked. "You're trying to get me naked."

Donna rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Don't worry, we'll get to that later.", he whispered in her ear.

She shot him a look that screamed "Not in front of everyone !" and went to get him a drink.

Small groups slowly started to form.

Ben, Simon and Trevor settled on the balcony Trevor started to teach Ben the notes for their new song.

Ellen, Antony, Donna and Paul sat on the couches while Jenny, Tess and Mike were busy in the kitchen.

Mike opened the door for Will and his wife Alicia a little while later and they joined the older ones on the couches.

 

Finally, at 8:30, Harvey stepped into the condo.

"Harvey !", Donna practically ran towards him. "He moved the furniture, there are stains on your carpet and your neighbors will probably hate you but please, _please_ , don't freak out.", she whispered.

Harvey sighed and looked over her shoulder to get an idea of the disaster. The dining table had been pushed against the living room wall and turned into a buffet, the couches had been pushed against the window and record shelf and there indeed was a huge wine stain on the cream-colored carpet. 

"Harvey !", Mike grinned when he saw him.

"Just so you know, I liked my place just fine before you decided to rearrange it.", he smiled, planting a quick kiss on Mike's lips.

"I thought it's be nicer like this, you know, for a party."

"It's ok. But that note next to the elevator, hum...", Harvey grimaced.

Mike grinned and dragged Harvey in the living room.

"Hey Harvey !", Paul waved from the couch. "Nice of you to join us !"

“Who invited you ?”, Harvey asked with a smile, hugging him. “I’ll just say a quick hello to everyone and get changed.”, he added. “Hey Will !”

“Hey Harvey !”

“Alicia, you look fantastic.”, he said, pulling her into a hug. “How are the kids ?”

“They’re growing up.”, Alicia replied with a sigh.

“How’s Lockhart Gardner doing ?”

“We’re good, we’re thinking about opening another firm in Chicago.”, Will replied. “How’s Pearson Specter ? I heard one of your senior partner had been suspected of fraud.”

“ _Suspected_.”, Harvey smiled. “That’s the key word here. We’re sorting that out.”

“Right.”, Will smirked. “Go greet your guests.”

Harvey hugged Ellen and Antony and walked to the dining table-slash-buffet where Jenny and Tess were pouring glasses of wine.

“Ladies.”, Harvey smiled shyly.

“Harvey.”, Jenny smiled broadly. “Thanks for having us.”

“No, thank _you_ for everything you’ve done. It looks delicious.”

“Specter !”, Ben cheered, stepping back inside from the balcony, followed by Simon, Trevor and Mike.

“Hey !”

They hugged and Mike couldn’t help but notice the hand Harvey placed in the small of Ben’s back.

Harvey shook hands with Trevor and Simon, who was a lot younger than he thought he would be, and excused himself to go change.

“Ben’s you ex.”, Mike appeared in the bedroom doorstep.

“He’s a friend now.”, he replied, blushing.

Mike pursed his lips.

“Come on, Mike.”, Harvey said, wrapping his arms around his waist. “Let’s not make a big deal out of it. It was a long time ago, in another life.”, he pulled him closer.

When Mike didn’t move, Harvey sighed and let go of him.

“How did you know ?”, he asked, walking to the closet.

“The way you hugged him.”, Mike replied sharply.

Harvey turned around and studied Mike for a moment.

“I have no idea what gave you that impression because I’m pretty sure I hugged him like I hug my brother or Donna.”, he said with a stern voice. “But yes, he is my ex. Is that going to be a problem _again_ ?”

Mike scoffed and left the room.

Harvey closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He quickly changed into a pair of black jeans and a white shirt and went back to the living room.

 

About an hour later, the party was going full swing. Geraldine had stopped by at 9 and shared a glass of wine with Ellen and Antony before hugging Harvey goodbye with the promise to come visit again soon. Alicia and Jenny were in deep conversation in a corner of the room while Simon and Will were trying to defend their love for the Chicago Cubs against Mike and Harvey’s passion for the Yankees. Paul was showing off his guitar skills to Donna and Tess.

Mike left the friendly banter and joined Ben who was having a smoke on the balcony.

“The view is incredible.”, Ben said, exhaling a cloud of smoke. “How did you and Harvey meet ?”

“Well, as I was telling you earlier, I’m in a band and we were having a concert in New York. He came with Donna and I left him my number in a CD.”, Mike replied with a smile.

“That’s audacious.”

“He didn’t call me though.”, Mike laughed. “Donna had to set up a fake client meeting. Then we had dinner and well…”

“Harvey’s always been really shy.”, Ben said. “I never understood why. He’s got the whole package. The looks, the brain, the heart and now the job, the money…”

“So, you and Harvey ?”, Mike asked with a knowing smile.

Ben raised an eyebrow and took a long puff of his cigarette.

“We go way back.”, he replied, looking away. “We’ve known each other since College. We dated in Harvard and now we’re friends.”

“Harvey seems to make a point of staying friends with his exes.”

“Well, not _all of them_.”, Ben laughed. “Or he’d have more friends than anybody else on this planet.”, he laughed again and paused. “Seriously, he’s a good person, it’s hard to not want to stay friends with him.”

“How long did you two date ?”

“2 years, I think.”

“And, um, why did you break up. I mean…”

“It’s ok, Harvey would tell you.”, Ben smiled. “Well, let’s say I wasn’t the most faithful man back then. Got busted stupidly and, obviously, he broke up with me.”

Mike nodded.

“Poor Harvey has a history of being cheated on.”, he added with regret in his voice.

“Does he ?”, Mike asked with surprise. “Who would cheat on Harvey ?”

“A lot of guys including me.”, Ben sighed. “Nice gets boring, you know. He’s toughened up with age and with his job, but he used to be… well, he used to be boring. You know, the perfect boyfriend who takes your drunk calls at 3 in the morning and offers to come pick you up at whatever shitty bar you’re spending your pocket money at. The perfect boyfriend who never says no, who doesn’t set boundaries, who’s never mad at you… “, Ben lit up another cigarette. “It gets boring but how can you break up with somebody that nice ? So instead, you start looking around for thrill, for danger… and you end up fucking one of the popular guys in your boyfriend’s dorm room and getting caught.”

“ _That’s_ what happened ?”, Mike asked, wide-eyed.

“Yup. And that wasn’t the first time.”, Ben smiled sheepishly. “I still can’t believe we’re best friends now.”, he laughed.

“I’d have killed you.”

They both laughed and Ben handed his cigarette to Mike.

“What’s so funny ?”, Harvey asked, stepping out with a couple of blankets in his arms.

“I was telling Mike about our Harvard years.”, Ben replied, only half-lying.

Harvey smiled at Mike.

“Here are some blankets.”, he said, putting them down on the coffee table. “It’s freaking cold.”

“Yeah.”, Mike agreed, stubbing out the cigarette in his empty glass.

“That’s –“

“Disgusting, I know.”, he said, cupping Harvey’s face and kissing him.

“And you taste like tobacco.”, Harvey grimaced.

 

At 11:30, Ellen and Antony said their goodbyes, followed by Simon who advised the members of the band to not go to bed at an ungodly hour because they had a big rehearsal at the VMA venue the next afternoon.

“I just caught Paul and Donna making out in the bathroom.”, Mike told Harvey, who was starting to clear out the buffet.

Harvey made a face when Paul and Donna reappeared in the living room.

“Hey, get a room you two.”, he said.

“Nosy puppy.”, Donna said, slapping Mike on the shoulder.

“Ouch I just wanted to take a pee. That’s what bathrooms are for !”, Mike replied, patting his shoulder.

“We’re gonna go.”, Will and Alicia said, getting their coat. “Thank you so much for having us. Nice meeting you Mike.”

“Nice meeting you too.”, Mike replied with a smile. “And good luck on that Bishop trial.”

“Thank you, we’ll need it.”, Alicia said with an eyeroll.

“Alright, let’s play some music !”, Mike exclaimed after he had closed the front door. “Ben, you’re talking the acoustic guitar. Trev, you’re on bass. Jenny and Tess, you’re in charge of the rhythm with whatever can be used as drums.”

“Can I do something ?”, Donna asked eagerly.

“Sure !”, Mike replied. “Hum, let’s see… Oh yeah I know ! Can you film us four our YouTube page ?”

“I can do that !”, she smiled. “Gimme your phone.”

Jenny and Tess gathered chairs in the middle of the living room and grabbed a couple wooden spoons and bottles to create the beat.

They settled in on their improvised stage and Donna gave the thumbs up and pressed the record button.

“Alright guys so we’re in Manhattan getting ready for our VMA performance and we thought we’d give you a little taste of what’s to come. We’ve got a special guest tonight.”, he turned to Ben. “Here’s Ben Affleck, you may have seen him in movies like Daredevil. So Ben is going to be lead guitar for this one. It’s a brand new song I wrote that’s going to be featured on the reissue of Freedom and Other Drugs and it’s called All This Love. Ready guys ?”

Ben started brushing the strings and nodded at Trevor, and Mike started to sing.

“You find a way there and I will never ask  
I will follow you  
I will follow you  
You be the night sky and I will be the stars  
I will follow you  
I will follow you  
There's all this love if you need it  
There's all this love if you need it  
There's all this love if you need it  
There's all this love if you need it now

All of me is all for you  
You're all I see  
All of me is all for you  
You're all I need… “

Donna made sure to catch everybody on film by turning around the musicians. At one point, she flipped around to film Harvey and Paul but Harvey hid his face with his hand while Paul grinned stupidly at the camera.

“And cut !”

“That was awesome !”, Mike grinned. “Ben, you should totally join the band !”

“Well no, I’m too old for this.”, Ben replied with a smile. “My fingers are burning.”

Harvey smiled fondly. Mike was beaming, totally in his element and he felt his heart rate starting to race, remembering the first time their eyes had met. Big, shiny blue eyes piercing a hole through Harvey’s heart. And that beautiful voice sending shivers through his body.

“Let’s call it a night folks.”, Donna said, loading the dishwasher.

“Don’t bother.”, Harvey said. “We’ll do it tomorrow.”

Trevor and Jenny packed up the instruments and piled up the chairs.

“Thank you for having us, Harvey.”, Jenny smiled gratefully. “See you on Sunday ?”

“Yep.”, Harvey smiled. “Thank you for coming and for helping.”

“Nice meeting you Mike.”, Ben winked, pulling him into a hug. “Don’t even think about hurting him, ok ?”, he whispered in his ear.

Mike smiled knowingly and nodded.

Donna and Paul cleared the buffet, boxed up the leftovers and said their goodbyes.

“It’s going to be a cleaning Saturday.”, Harvey sighed, looking around the room. “The carpet is dead.”

“No it’s not, I put salt on the stain to absorb the wine.”, Mike replied from the bedroom.

Harvey shrugged and turned off the lights.

“Simon is a nice guy.”, he said, walking into the room.

“He was a ward of the state, like Trevor and I. He understands where we’re coming from.”

Harvey smiled softly and sat on the far end of the bed, his back turned to Mike. He took out his hearing aid and put it in a little box on the nightstand.

Mike climbed on the bed and kneeled behind him. He wrapped his arms around Harvey’s chest and pressed soft kisses from his nape to his left ear.

“I love you so much….”, he whispered, making Harvey shiver.

He did not hear what Mike said but he felt his hot breath against the sensitive skin behind his ear.

“I have no idea what you just said.”, Harvey smiled.

“I know.”, Mike replied, tightening his hold on Harvey.

“That’s not nice.”

“What I said was nice.”, Mike said, this time louder.

Harvey grabbed Mike’s wrists and turned around to kneel in front of him. He entwined his fingers with Mike’s and brushed their noses together.

“I’m so glad Donna forced me to go to that concert 2 months ago.”, he said with a smile.

“She’s a Goddess.”, Mike stated before pressing his mouth to Harvey’s.

Harvey deepened the kiss, capturing Mike’s tongue between his lips, eliciting a soft moan from him.

“Did you by any chance buy condoms ?”, he asked breathlessly.

“Are you kidding me ?”, Mike replied, catching his breath. “That’s like the number one item on a successful party shopping list.”, he winked.

Harvey chuckled, slid his hands under Mike’s t-shirt and kissed him again.

Mike moaned loudly, unbuttoned Harvey’s jeans and cupped his already hard cock.

“I want you to fuck me.”, he groaned and pulled Harvey’s boxers and pants down to his knees. “I want you to be my first…”

Harvey moaned and moved his hand from Mike’s back to his ass. Mike unbuttoned his jeans, pushed them down and shimmied out of them. He retrieved the lube from the bedside table while Harvey undressed and he took his t-shirt off before falling on his back onto the bed.

Harvey lay down on him and kissed him. They both moaned when their cocks touched.

“Roll over for me.”, Harvey ordered and Mike did, getting on his hands and knees.

Harvey kneeled between Mike’s parted legs and started licking up and down his open ass crack. He saw Mike’s hands clenching the bed sheets.

“Relax.”, he whispered, grabbing Mike’s butt cheeks and parting them even more.

He massaged the warm hole with his thumb before running his tongue over it. He pressed feather-light kisses on Mike’s butt cheeks while circling the tight pucker with his thumb. He then replaced the finger with the flat of his tongue and Mike sighed with pleasure.

Harvey felt him relax and he nudged the tip of his tongue against the rim of Mike’s hole and pressed it until the muscle loosened up.

“Oh God, Harvey.”, Mike gasped as Harvey’s tongue worked its way inside of him and he pushed back against it.

Harvey felt Mike clench around his tongue and he hummed with satisfaction. Without stopping his tongue movements, he grabbed the bottle of lube and squeezed a generous amount on his fingers. He finally pulled his tongue out and instead pushed a finger in.

“So gorgeous…”, he moaned, reaching for Mike’s leaking cock. “You like that ?”, he asked in a low voice.

“Yes, God, Yes…”, Mike mumbled, moving down onto his forearms and burying his face in the pillows.

Harvey slowly inserted another finger and Mike hissed. He tightened his grip around Mike’s cock and began to stroke it.

Mike relaxed once more and pushed hard against Harvey’s fingers.

“Moooorreee.”, he whimpered, overwhelmed by the pleasure coming from both his ass and cock.

Harvey pulled his fingers out and let go of Mike’s cock. He seized the condom, quickly opened the package and rolled it down his throbbing cock. He was panting heavily. It had been years since he had last topped and though he preferred bottoming, he liked to sometimes reverse the balance of power. He grabbed the bottle of lube and squeezed another dollop into the palm of his hand. He rubbed his hands together and reached out for his own cock with one hand while fingering Mike with the other.

He repositioned himself between Mike’s thighs and teased his tight hole with the tip of his cock.

“Harvey…”

“You okay ?”, Harvey asked, his hand roaming up and down Mike’s sweaty back.

“Yeah… I’m ready.”, Mike replied shakily.

Harvey took a deep breath and slowly pushed his way in, gauging Mike’s reactions with every tentative thrust.

When he was almost fully in, he leaned forward and pressed kisses on Mike’s nape and shoulders.

“Tell me when it’s ok for me to move.”, he whispered.

Mike nodded eagerly into the pillow.

“Is it ok or you’re going to tell me when it is ?”, Harvey asked, squeezing his eyes shut when he felt Mike clench around his cock.

“It’s… ok… Move…”, Mike replied loudly, tilting his head to the side to make sure Harvey could hear him.

Harvey pulled out half of his cock and pushed again, fisting one of his hands around Mike’s cock.

“Mike…”, he rasped. “Are you okay ?”

“Yeah, I’m okay… just… don’t stop. _Please_.”

Mike’s tight ring of muscle clenched against Harvey once again and Harvey exhaled loudly.

“God, Mike, stop this or I’ll… Re… relax, ok ?”

He placed his hands firmly on each side of Mike’s hips and pulled out completely before pushing back in, admiring the view of his cock burying inside Mike’s ass.

He thrust in and out a couple of time, slowly then more earnestly, pushing Mike against the pillows with a grunt.

He pushed all the way one more time and leaned forward to wrap his arms around Mike’s chest and pull him up on his knees against his own chest.

Mike moaned, the new angle allowing Harvey’s cock to push even deeper. He turned his head to the side and Harvey wrapped a hand around his throat and kissed him.

“How does it feel ?”, Harvey whispered, gently biting the thin skin around his clavicles. “How does my cock feel ?”

Mike moaned and grabbed his own cock before moving his hips up and down, fucking himself on Harvey’s cock.

“Good… God… it feels so good… Aaaahh”

Harvey smiled and placed his hand on Mike’s, helping him reach his orgasm.

“You feel so good Mike…”

“I… What I said earlier… that you…”, Mike stuttered. “That you didn’t hear… I said I… I love you so m-much.”

His ass clenched once more around Harvey who couldn’t contain himself any longer.

“God Mike…”, he whimpered, shaking through his orgasm.

His hand on Mike’s cock stilled and Mike came with a loud cry, tilting his head back on Harvey’s shoulder.

Harvey pulled out moments later, when their breathing had evened out, and they both fell back on their side onto the bed.

“Harvey…”, Mike whispered.

When Harvey did not reply, he rolled over to face him and smiled when he understood that he had not heard him.

Harvey smiled back and kissed him.

“You okay ?”, he asked.

“You wanna know if I liked it ?”, Mike bit on Harvey’s lip playfully. “Go ahead, ask me.”

Harvey rolled his half-shut eyes.

“Did you like it ?”

“I _loved_ it.”, Mike replied, pushing his tongue inside Harvey’s mouth.

“Good. I loved it too. Now let’s get some sleep, we’ve got plenty of things to do tomorrow.”

“I love you Harvey.”, Mike yawned.

“I love you too.”


	13. (Facing) The Music

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter...  
> Reality just met fiction. I know it's supposed to be the other way around but it's not... As I was finishing this chapter, my Mum got really sick and is currently at the hospital fighting a very serious form of Guillain-Barré syndrome.   
> Hope you like this chapter, I might not update for a while depending on how real life sucks...  
> Thanks a lot for reading and reviewing.  
> xoxo

When Mike woke up the next morning, he was alone in the bed and Harvey's space, though still crumpled, was cold. Mike pouted and sat down on the edge of the mattress, wincing when his ass entered in contact with the bed sheets. 

“Shit !”, he hissed, using his hands to prop himself off the bed.

Memories from the previous night popped up in his mind and he smiled, rubbing his face. 

He walked sleepily to kitchen, tripping over the rolled up stained carpet. There was a note on the counter.

Went for a run. Will be back for lunch. xoxo

He checked the clock on the wall, it said 10:30. 

“A fucking long run.”, he yawned, heading towards the coffee machine.

When Harvey arrived at the condo at 11:45, music was blasting in the living room and Mike was moving the furniture back into their original position, dancing and singing out loud.

“You want a hot body, you want a Bugatti, you want a Mazeratti, you better work bitch !”

Harvey smiled and leaned against the entrance wall to watch his boyfriend. Mike was wearing sweatpants and a tight t-shirt. The sliding doors to the balcony were wide open.

“Bring it on, Ring the alarm. Don't stop now just be the champion. Work it hard like it's your profession. Watch out now cause here it comes…“

He snapped a quick picture and sent it to Donna with a winking emoji.

Mike turned around with a chair in his arms and almost dropped it when he saw Harvey.

“Shit Harvey !”, he exclaimed, putting the chair down and walking to the iPod station to turn the volume down.

“Hey Britney.”, Harvey smirked.

“What ? You know Britney Spears ?”

“Of course I know her.”, Harvey replied, rolling his eyes.

“You know pop music ? Like, at all ?”

“I know what I’m supposed to know about pop music.”, Harvey replied, toeing off his sneakers. “Michael Jackson, Madonna and Britney. The Pop Trinity.”, he added in a very serious tone. 

Mike stared at Harvey with wide eyes for a moment and burst out laughing.

“What ?”

“Oh my God Harvey ! You’re a fangirl !”

Harvey grinned and took a long gulp of water.

“Did you run for 2 hours ?”, Mike asked, putting the last chair back around the dining table.

“2 hours and a half.”, Harvey corrected.

“How do you do that ?”

“Well, you know what they say…”, Harvey smiled mischievously. “You want a hot body ? You better work bitch.”

Mike laughed and wrapped his arms around his neck before kissing him.

“I stink.”, Harvey said, gently pushing him away. “Let me go shower.”

“I don’t care…”, Mike pouted. “I want to kiss you.”

“I know you don’t care because you’re-“

“Disgusting.”, Mike grinned. “I think I’m doing pretty good for a disgusting boyfriend, what do you think ?”, he asked, motioning around the clean room.

“Thank you.”, Harvey smiled gratefully, placing a soft kiss on his lips.

“Considering I couldn’t stay seated because my ass hurts like hell, I figured I could try and be useful…”

Harvey blushed and smiled sheepishly.

“Sore ass equals job well done.”, he said with a wink before heading towards the bedroom.

They were having lunch in the clean smelling kitchen when Harvey’s phone rang.

“Hey Paul.”, Harvey cheered upon picking up.

“Harvey…”, Paul said in a low voice and Harvey’s heart sank in his chest. “Mum’s in the ER.”

Harvey opened his mouth but he couldn’t speak. He couldn’t even swallow past the lump that had formed in his throat.

“Geraldine called me.”, Paul continued. “They were leaving for the airport when Mum collapsed.”

Mike saw the color drain from Harvey’s face and automatically got up and stepped closer to him. He was still gaping and tears were starting to pool in his eyes. He dropped the phone on the counter and left the room.

“Paul.”, Mike said, putting the phone to his ear. “What happened ? What is it ?”

“Mike, it’s our mother. She collapsed this morning and she’s in the ER.”

“How is she ? What do we need to do ?”

“She’s still unconscious…”, Paul breathed. “We have to wait.”

“Alright, which hospital is she at ?”

“New York Hospital Queens.”

“Ok.”, Mike sighed. “I’ll…, uh, I’ll check with Harvey, see what he wants to do. Thanks for calling.”

He tapped the end button on the screen and inhaled sharply before walking to the bedroom.

The door was closed so he knocked softly.

“Harvey…”, he said, turning the doorknob and slowly opening the door.

Harvey was sitting on the bed, his back to the door. His head was cradled in his hands, his elbows resting on his knees and Mike could see his shoulders heaving. 

He joined him on the bed and placed a comforting hand on the small of his back.

“Do you want to go to the hospital ?”, he asked in a soft voice.

He heard Harvey take a deep breath.

“No.”, he replied in a barely audible whisper.

“Ok.”, Mike said, running his hand up and down Harvey’s back. “Do you want me to leave you alone ? Do you need me to call someone ?”

Harvey shook his head and Mike took it as a “No” for both questions.

“I have to leave at 3.”, he said apologetically. “Final rehearsal with the band on the actual stage.”

“I know…”, Harvey said in a sob.

Mike bit his bottom lip and sighed. The show, the awards, the tux… everything seemed so trivial at that moment. So artificial and surreal compared to the pain Harvey was experiencing, compared to real life. He gulped and closed his eyes for a moment, never stopping the soothing motions on Harvey’s back.

The silence was broken by Mike’s ringtone.

“Hello ?”

“Mike Ross ?”, a female voice asked.

“Yes.”

“Cécile Robert calling for René Dubois. I just wanted to let you know that your tuxedo’s ready whenever you want to pick it up.”

“Oh thanks. I, uh, I’m in the middle of something right now but I’ll have it picked up today one way or another.”

“Great. Have a nice day Sir.”

“Yeah, you too.”

He ended the call and placed a kiss on Harvey’s shoulder.

“What do you wanna do baby ?”, he asked. “Stay here ? Talk ? Watch a movie ? Get some air ? Tell me.”

Harvey shrugged and swallowed audibly.

Mike put his head on Harvey’s shoulder and grabbed one of his trembling hands.

“You want to stay here ?”, he whispered.

Harvey nodded.

“Alright then, let’s wait here.”

Mike had no idea how much had passed when he opened his eyes, woken by a gentle hand caressing his cheek.

“You fell asleep.”, Harvey smiled.

“Ouch.”, Mike hissed, cracking his painful neck. “How long ?”

“30 minutes.”

“How are you feeling ?”

“Better.”, Harvey replied, inhaling deeply. “Let’s move.”

“Where ?”

“I understand you’ve got a tuxedo to pick. Then I can drop you off to your rehearsals.”

“’kay”, Mike replied with a yawn.

In the car, Harvey put his phone earbuds and called his brother.

Apparently, Helena was still unconscious but her vitals were stable. He promised to drop by after running their errands.

“What do the doctors say ?”, Mike asked cautiously.

“She had a heart attack.”, Harvey replied, swallowing thickly. “Christopher managed to resuscitate her before the paramedics arrived but she’s still unconscious.”

Mike pursed his lips and gazed ahead.

Harvey parked in front of René’s window display and they walked silently inside the shop.

A soft ding indicated their presence and René appeared from behind a thick dark blue curtain.

“Harvey.”, he smiled fondly. “How are you ?”

“Good.”, Harvey lied, shaking the French man’s hand.

“Mr. Ross.”

“Call me Mike.”

“Let’s see how it fits.”, René said, grabbing a garment bag from a nearby hanger. “Not that it won’t, because it will fit perfectly. Unless you’ve been surviving on junk food since Wednesday.”

Mike smiled and followed him behind the curtain and began stripping down.

“Put this on.”, René ordered, handing out the pants.

Mike pulled them up and whistles when the zipper was up.

“It’s crazy !”, he giggled. “I’ve never had a pair of pants that fits so well !”

René smiled proudly and circled around Mike, checking every hem and fold. 

“Perfect !”, he smirked, giving Mike’s ass a gentle slap. “Now put the shirt and jacket on.”

Mike obeyed while René disappeared behind the curtain.

He came back a minute later, holding a pair of shiny Italian leather dress shoes.

“Put on the shoes then I’ll do the bowtie.”

Mike stopped breathing when the French tailor arranged his bowtie, eyes fixed on the fabric and fingers working with expert precision.

“Let’s see what Harvey thinks.”, he smiled, opening the curtain.

Harvey was standing at the window, hands in his jeans pocket, gazing outside.

René cleared his throat and Harvey turned around.

He smiled and walked towards Mike.

“Turn around slowly please.”, he said, eyes narrowing. 

He hummed with satisfaction, checking the hems and feeling the fabric just like René had done a minute ago.

“Outstanding work René.”, he said. “I must say I’m quite impressed.”

René mouthed a humble ‘Thank you’ and opened the curtain, motioning for Mike to come.

“Hey !”, Mike frowned. “Are you going to tell me if I look good or what ?”

Harvey smiled mischievously and pulled him into a kiss.

“You always look good.”, he whispered, even if he knew it sounded cliché, because it was true.

Mike blushed and walked back into the luxurious changing room. 

Mike texted Simon to let him know he was on his way. 

They were stuck in traffic and Harvey was cursing under his breath, furiously drumming the wheel with his fingers.

“I can walk to Madison Square Garden from here if you want to go to the hospital.”, Mike offered tentatively.

“No.”, Harvey replied sharply.

Mike nodded and looked at him. His jaw was tense, eyes just a little bit narrower than usual and nostrils flared. He didn’t know what was going through his mind. Of course, he was nervous because of his mother and there was the traffic… but there was something else, something that wasn’t there in René’s shop. Something beyond sadness and fear. 

Harvey’s phone rang and he pressed the button on his earbuds.

“Harvey Specter.” “Hey Neal.” “I’m good. How are you ?” “They still don’t want to settle.” “I know. I have a meeting with his lawyer on Monday, I’ll try one more time.” “Don’t worry, the bartender agreed to testify, there is no way, -“ “He tried to contact you ?” “No, don’t talk to him, tell him to contact me.” “He’s trying to intimidate you.” “Please, don’t say a word, tell him to get in touch with your lawyer.” “Hum yeah he’s good, he’s with me. I’ll tell him.” “Don’t talk to the guy alright ?” “I’ll call you back on Monday, but call me if he tries to contact you again.” “You too. Bye”.

“Neal says hi.”, he said, taking one earbud out.

They finally made it to the venue.

“Do you want to take the tux with you ? Put it in your dressing room or something ?”, Harvey asked, stopping the engine.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”, Mike smiled.

They both stepped out of the car and were greeted by a couple of photographers.

“Hey Mike, over here !”, one of them shouted.

Harvey opened the backseat door and took the garment bag off the hook above the door, ignoring the photographers and their continuous snapping. 

“There.”, he said, handing it to Mike. “Hurry.”, he whispered, his fingers lingering over Mike’s when Mike grabbed the garment bag.

Mike mouthed “See you later.” and hurried up the stairs as Harvey climbed back inside the car and started the engine.

He arrived at the hospital after another hour spent in traffic. Donna and Paul were drinking a coffee outside the front door.

“Harvey.”, Donna smiled sadly when she spotted him.

“Any change ?”, Harvey asked.

Paul shook his head.

“Geraldine and Christopher have left an hour ago and Ellen is with Mum.”, he said.

“Ok.”, Harvey sighed. “What can we do ?”

“Nothing.”, Paul replied, trashing his paper cup. “Wait and wait again.”

“What do the doctors say ? Do they think she’ll wake up ? Do they know why she’s still unconscious ?”

Paul shook his head again and looked away.

“Where’s Mike ?”, Donna asked to change the subject.

“I dropped him off in Manhattan, he’s rehearsing for tomorrow night.”

“This is such bad timing…”, she sighed.

“He’s leaving on Monday for a month.”

Donna smiled sadly again and took his hand in hers.

“He’s never gonna be around anyway.”, Harvey chuckled nervously. “Better get used to it now.” He sighed. “I’m gonna get a coffee.”

Donna and Paul exchanged a worried look and followed him to the nearest coffee shop.

Mike opened the door to Harvey’s condo at 9. The band had taken a couple of breaks during the afternoon and evening but Mike had not managed to reach Harvey. He had assumed he was at the hospital and couldn’t use his phone.

He stepped inside the apartment and quickly took off his shoes and jacket.

A small lamp near the couch was the only light in the room and Harvey was nowhere in sight. 

Mike’s stomach growled loudly and he walked to the kitchen to get something to eat when he noticed Harvey’s phone on the counter. He pressed the home button. The screen displayed 6 missed calls from Mike and texts from Paul and Ellen.  

He grabbed an apple and a piece of bread, fixed himself a cup of decaf, put it all on a tray and walked to the balcony, careful not to make too much noise.

A half hour later, he stepped back inside, locked the sliding doors and turned off the lights.

He walked to the bedroom but bumped his toe on the corner right before the bedroom door.

“Fuck !”, he hissed through clenched teeth, crouching down and massaging the injured toe. “Gooodd.”, he whispered. “Fuck, fuck.”

The bedroom door was open and Mike could see a shape on the bed. He finally stood back up and walked very cautiously towards the bed.

Now he could see Harvey, the city lights providing just enough lighting in the room. 

He was fast asleep on the cover, rolled on his side, in his black boxers, tightly clutching Mike’s pillow against his chest.

Mike quickly undressed and joined him.

His face was relaxed, his lips slowly parted and he smelled like hair conditioner. Mike kissed his forehead and covered his body with the comforter he always kept on his bed before slipping under the cover and resting his head on the less comfortable pillows.

At one point during the night, he felt his head being lift up and a put back on a warm pillow and an arm solidly wrapping around him.

Harvey's alarm woke them both at 8 the next morning.

They didn't move for a couple of minutes, slowly emerging to the sound of the soft jazz music playing on Harvey's phone.

Mike finally rolled over to face Harvey. His eyes were wide open and it wasn't surprising considering how much time he had slept but there still were bags of worry and sadness under them. They were darker than usual and Mike realized that it wasn't his Harvey lying in the bed, it was Harvey Specter the lawyer.

He took a deep breath and tried a smile to which Harvey replied with a barely visible twitch his lips.

Mike bit the inside of his cheek and buried his face in Harvey's chest.

"I have an appointment with the doctor at 10.", Harvey eventually said, grabbing his phone to turn off the alarm.

"Do you want me to go with you ?"

"No. Thanks."

Harvey placed a quick feelingless kiss on Mike's lips and left the bed.

"You can stay in bed.", he said without turning before walking to the bathroom.

Mike gulped and got up. He had had more than enough sleep and he needed a coffee.

15 minutes later, Harvey appeared in the kitchen, showered and dressed in a black shirt and black pants. His hair was still damp and falling over his forehead. He looked delectable and if Mike had felt that his Harvey was back, he would have pulled him into a hug and a passionate kiss. 

"Are you sure you want to go on your own ?", Mike asked, pouring another cup of coffee.

"Yes."

"Did I do something wrong ?"

"No."

Mike sighed heavily.

"Then what is it ?", he asked.

"I'm sorry.", Harvey said, finally meeting Mike's eyes. "All of this is just... I- I'm not... I don't want to talk about it."

"Ok. I understand.", Mike said with a soft smile. "But you don't have to do this on your own."

Harvey quircked an eyebrow and smiled. Not the kind of smile Mike was used to but the kind of smile he was sure Harvey used in court and during settlements. The dangerous kind.

"Oh I don't ?", he scoffed. "Ok so you come with me today and then what ? What about next week, or the week after, or the week after or the week after ? Simon told me about your promotion tour."

"Harvey..."

"It's ok Mike. There are many many things I will have to do by myself. I just need to accept that."

Mike took a step a forward and placed his hand on Harvey's.

"I didn't want to tell you because I don't think I fully realize...", he said.

Harvey looked down at their hands and pursed his lips. Mike cupped Harvey's chin and tilted his head up.

"Harvey.", he pleaded softly. "Please."

Harvey looked at him defiantly for a moment before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. When he reopened his eyes, they were less dark, a little softer though not completely back to normal.

"Thank you.", Mike said, closing the space between them and putting his lips on Harvey's.

Harvey didn't properly reciprocate but he gently brushed his knuckles on Mike's cheek.

"You know, if you don't want to come tonight, I-"

"I'll be there.", Harvey cut him. "I said I'd come, I'll be there."

Mike nodded and took a large gulp of coffee.

"I'm gonna go now, I'm meeting with Paul and Ellen for coffee before the appointment.", Harvey said, putting his mug in the sink. "I'll be back after lunch."

"Ok."

 

 

"I'm Dr. Brentmann, nice to meet you.", the doctor said, shaking the siblings' hands. "Take a seat, please."

Ellen, Paul and Harvey anxiously sat down on the three chairs in front of the doctor's desk.

"Mrs. Specter suffered a cerebrovascular accident.", Dr. Brentmann said, trying to look at each of the three visibly worried family members. "We're currently performing a series of scans and other exams to determine the extense of the damages. We don't know anything at that stage, just that her vitals are good and that none of her organs has failed."

"So we have to wait, right ?", Ellen asked with a trembling voice.

"Yes.", the doctor replied. "We'll know more tomorrow."

"Ok.", Harvey breathed before nodding and leaving the doctor's office, quickly followed by his brother and sisters who thanked the doctor before getting up and leaving too.

"Harvey, wait.", Paul called.

Harvey stopped in his tracks but didn't turn around. 

Paul placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and Harvey could hear Ellen's slight sobs. 

"We have to stay strong and be patient.", Paul said. "I know patience's not your forte.", he added with a sad smile.

Harvey sighed and placed his hand on Paul's.

"Let's go see her."

 


	14. The VMA

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you from the bottom of my heart to :  
> Avery_Q  
> Sgakaz  
> Chosen1  
> Skara_Brae  
> Macallan  
> Sal_si_puedes  
> For your very very kind words.  
> I feel blessed and I'm truly touched.
> 
> Here's a new chapter. The next one is probably going to be posted next week.  
> Thanks a lot for reading.  
> xoxo

Harvey unlocked the door to the condo a little bit after 1 pm. Mike was sitting on the couch typing on his laptop.

“Hey.”, he smiled. “How did it go ?”

“Nothing’s changed.”, Harvey replied, joining him on the couch and placing a quick kiss on Mike’s lips. “They’re waiting for results.”, he paused to untie his shoes. “What are you doing ?”

“Emailing my replies to an interview.”

“What time is it tonight ?”

“7 pm.”, Mike said, finishing a sentence and saving his document. “We have to be at the venue at 7 to get dressed, then there’s the red carpet at 8.”

“Ok.”, Harvey sighed yawning and covering his mouth.

“What should we do until then ? Hungry ?”

“Not really.”

Mike nodded and pursed his lips.

“Wanna take a nap ?”, he asked. “You look tired.”

Harvey took a moment to think about it.

“I could probably use an hour or two of sleep.”, he yawned again.

“Me too.”, Mike smiled. “Let’s go.”

“Don’t you wanna finish what you were doing ?”

“Nah, it can wait.”

 

 

“A car is coming to pick us up at 6, that’s in 45 minutes.”, Mike said, sticking his head in the bathroom door where Harvey, freshly out of the shower, was shaving. 

Harvey nodded slowly, keeping his eyes on his razorblade. 

They had napped for 2 hours and watched a movie then they had cuddled on the couch which had led to them frantically making out before coming in each other’s hand. 

“You never told me what you were going to wear.”, Mike winked.

“What do you think ?”, Harvey smiled, rinsing the blade.

“A tux ?”

“Damn right I am.”, Harvey smiled.

“It’s good to see you smile.”, Mike said, kissing the foam on Harvey’s cheek.

“Come on !”, Harvey complained.

“Let me guess, I’m disgusting ?”, Mike smiled. “You know, I should write a song about it. It would go like  _Harvey thinks I’m disgusting, ting, ting, ting, Harvey thinks I’m disgusting, ting, ting…_ ”, he sang.

“Annoying would fit better.”, Harvey rolled his eyes and padded his face with a towel.

“ _Harvey thinks I’m annoying, ying, ying, ying._ ”

Harvey grinned and wrapped his arms around Mike, lift him up and carried him to the bed. He collapsed on top of him and kissed him.

“I love you, disgusting hottie.”, he whispered against his lips.

“I love you too, sexy neat freak.”, Mike replied and deepened the kiss.

Mike slid his hands under the towel that was wrapped around Harvey’s waist and cupped his ass.

“Can I fuck you before going out there where everybody will want a piece of  _this_  ?”, he whispered, squeezing Harvey’s butt. 

Harvey smiled and kissed him again, pressing his hips against Mike’s.

“You smell so good, you’re so sexy, I want you so much…”, Mike moaned.

Harvey chuckled and put one hand between their bodies to unbutton Mike’s jeans before sliding his hand inside his boxers and grabbing his cock.

“We have to be quick, though.”, he remarked breathlessly.

“Good, because I didn’t plan on taking my time.”, Mike replied with a mischievous smile, before pushing Harvey over to get the lube and a condom.

Harvey made use of Mike’s shifting on the bed to pull his jeans and boxers down his legs. 

Mike grabbed the two bare necessities and kicked off his jeans and boxers. 

He lay down on Harvey, cupped his face and kissed him. Harvey yanked Mike’s t-shirt over his head and got rid of his towel.

They broke the kiss, pressing their foreheads together, to catch their breath and Mike grabbed the lube. He squirted a generous amount of the cool liquid on his fingers and reached down for Harvey’s crack. 

He teased his entrance with his index fingers for a moment, circling and pushing slightly before inserting it and capturing Harvey’s mouth at the same time.

Harvey hissed and spread his legs wider, allowing Mike to sit back up and kneel between them.

Mike pushed his finger further inside and crooked it, gauging Harvey’s reactions, and when he felt him relax, he inserted another finger and grabbed Harvey’s cock with his other hand. 

Harvey bucked his hips, pushing against Mike’s probing fingers, and let out a low moan to which Mike responded with a fond smile.

“You’re perfect…, you’re so  _fucking_  perfect…”, he panted, cupping Harvey’s balls and pushing a third finger in.

Harvey tilted his head back into the pillow and groaned loudly. Mike pulled his fingers out and lay back down on Harvey to kiss him.

They kissed for a moment, moaning and rutting against each other desperately until Mike broke the kiss to put on the condom.

He kneeled back between Harvey’s open legs and lifted them onto his shoulders, hands firmly holding Harvey’s thighs, before quickly pushing his throbbing cock inside the tight heat with a gasp.

He paused for a moment to let him adjust and sighed when he felt Harvey clench around him.

Mike pulled out completely and pushed in again, eyes filled with lust fixed on Harvey. 

“You’re  _mine_.”, he said in a moan and started thrusting into him earnestly.

He let go of Harvey’s legs and pushed them to the sides to lean forward and bite at his neck.

Harvey canted his hips to meet with Mike’s thrusts and grabbed his own leaking cock when Mike's phone rang.

"Shit !", Mike muttered into Harvey's collarbone.

"Don't you _dare_  take that call.", Harvey panted dangerously in his ear.

Mike squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. He was distracted and he had a hard time to not concentrate on the ringing device. But then he felt Harvey's ring of muscle tighten hard around his cock and Mike moaned loudly.

"There you go.", Harvey whispered, pulling him into a kiss as the phone stopped ringing.

Mike deepened the kiss and pushed Harvey's hand from his cock to take its place. He pushed deeper into Harvey and began to stroke his cock at a rapid pace.

"Come for me Harvey...", he ordered through clenched teeth, feeling his own orgasm build rapidly.

It took a dozen of long strokes for Harvey to empty himself in a long groan. Mike followed seconds later, pushing even deeper and biting Harvey's shoulder.

"I need to shower again.", Harvey smiled, stroking Mike's sweaty back. "And you should too."

Mike sighed with contempt and nuzzled Harvey's neck.

"Come on, let's go shower.", Harvey repeated, placing a soft kiss on the top of his head.

 

15 minutes later, Harvey was adjusting his bowtie in front of the bedroom mirror.

"You look absolutely dashing Mr. Lawyer.", Mike whistled, wrapping his arms around him from behind. "And all of this is mine.", he smiled mischievously.

"I seem to recall you calling me a possessive bastard or something like that.", Harvey arched an eyebrow. "What does that make _you_ then ?"

Mike chuckled and nuzzled his nape.

"The luckiest man in the world.", he replied, inhaling Harvey's scent.

"Nice deflection.", Harvey smiled. "We should go. It's 10 to 6."

He quickly tied up his dress shoes, grabbed a coat and they left the condo.

 

 

In the car to the Madison Square Garden, Mike called Simon back.

"Yeah." "No, I was busy." "No, we're ready. I mean my tux's in the dressing room." "What ? Fuck. ! Isn't there like a back entrance or something ?" "I know..." "Yeah, see you in 30 minutes."

Mike cut the call and sighed.

"Is there a problem ?"

"Simon says the place is already swamped with paparazzi.", Mike replied, pulling up his hood.

"They're doing their job, Mike.", Harvey said with a soft smile. "You know it comes with the territory, right ? Can't have one without the other."

"I know..."

 

Less than 30 minutes later, their chauffeured car pulled over in front of the private parking lot. There was a backdoor at the end of the parking lot, but the metallic high gates couldn't prevent the paps from taking pictures and they started snapping as soon as the car stopped in front of it.

"They don't even know who's in the car, the windows are tinted !", Mike huffed.

The chauffeur drove inside the gated parking lot and dropped them as close to the door as he could.

They stepped out of the car and the paparazzi started screaming.

"Mike !" "Mike please !" "Over here please !" "Just one picture !"

Mike resisted the urge to flip the bird in their direction and him and Harvey sprinted to the door.

Simon was there as well as what looked like a hundred ants running around.

"Hey Harvey.", he smiled, shaking Harvey's hand, and turned to Mike. "Come on, let's get you ready. I scheduled an interview with People in 30 minutes."

Getting to their dressing room was a bit of a adventure. The other members of the band were dressing up or getting their make up done and Donna and Paul were sitting in a corner.

"Wow Donna !", Mike grinned, hugging her. "You look gorgeous."

"I know pup, but thank you.", she smiled back. "Harvey, you look nice."

"Thanks.", he blushed. "Paul, I didn't know you owned a three-piece suit !"

"There's so much you don't know about me, Harvey.", he sighed dramatically. "Ready for your close-up ?"

"They want Mike and the band, not me."

"Oh trust me.", Donna said. "They're going to be interested in you."

 

45 minutes later, they were all ready. Tess and Jenny had put on flashy nightgowns and heels and Trevor had gone for the casual chic look with a tight white shirt, tight black pants and apple green suspenders. A journalist from People asked them a couple of questions and took pictures before being almost physically thrown out of the room by Simon when her scheduled time was over.

"Ok, so", Simon explained. "After the opening performance, they're going to award Best Male Video and Best Hip-Hop Video. Then Beyonce's performing. Then it's your category, ok ? Keep smiling, whatever the result, the cameras are going to be on you the whole time. When the winners leave the stage, they're going to run a commercial break during which they will get the stage set up for your performance. But right now, put your best smiles on, we're doing the red carpet. Ready ?", their manager asked with his thumbs up.

They all smiled at each other and put their thumbs up.

"Let's do this !", Mike shouted, heading for the door.

The corridors were now almost totally empty, all the artists had gone outside to walk the red carpet.

"Ready ?", Mike whispered to Harvey with a smile.

"I guess.", Harvey chuckled. "This is your time to shine, I hope _you_ are ready.", he added, putting his lips to Mike's.

They all took a deep breath and joined the other celebrities in the line. 

Mike watched as Chris Martin and the rest of Coldplay, one of their competitors, happily answered questions and smiled for the hundred photographers shouting their names.

There was Britney Spears in a tight little black dress and huge heels standing right behind them.

Mike discreetly nudged Harvey and shot him a knowing look.

Harvey followed his gaze and he grinned.

"Do you want me to go talk to her ?"

"No.", Harvey blushed. "She looks busy.", he said, watching as Britney Spears was talking to her manager and bodyguard.

She turned her head and her eyes met Harvey who automatically looked away.

"Oh my God, she totally saw me.", he whispered, chuckling.

"Are you Mike ?", a cute soft voice came from behind.

Mike turned around and gaped. 

"He's Mike.", Harvey replied with a shy smile.

"Uh, yeah, I. I'm Mike.", Mike finally managed to say.

Britney Spears offered her hand and Mike shook it with a trembling hand.

"I really like your music.", she said. "I hope you win tonight."

"Oh wow.", Mike said with a broad smile. "Obviously, I love your music too. And so does he.", he added, pointing at Harvey.

Britney smiled and offered a hand, which Harvey happily shook.

"I'm Harvey.", he said. "I'm not in the band, I'm-"

"Mike's boyfriend ?", she asked with a mischievous smile.

Harvey nodded with a soft smile.

"You're really cute.", she said with a wink and walked away. "Good luck to you guys !"

"Britney Spears just called you cute.", Mike said.

Harvey smirked.

"It's your turn.", Simon said. "Remember, smiling faces !"

They all took a deep breath and Mike grabbed Harvey's hand and began to walk towards the interviewer. She smiled at them and stepped back to let the photographers take pictures.

"Mike, over here !", "Mike !", "Trevor, Jenny !"

Mike squeezed Harvey's hand.

They turned to the left and then to the right and then to the left again, smiling and laughing.

Simon stepped in.

"Ok now, they want pictures of just the band and pictures of you two.", he said to Mike and Harvey.

Harvey followed Simon to the side and watched as the band members posed for the cameras as if they had done it for their entire life.

Simon suddenly pushed him back in front of the camera and Jenny, Trevor and Tess stepped aside.

Mike smiled and grabbed his hand.

The noise of the cameras combined with the shouting was almost deafening and thankfully the interviewer gestured for them to join the rest of the band on the side where a cameraman was waiting.

"I'm with Mike and, well, the Harmony.", the young woman smiled, holding a microphone to her mouth. "How are you guys ? Are you excited to be here ?", she asked.

"Of course we are !", Mike grinned, squeezing Harvey's hand tight. "It's our first award show ever and we're nominated against our favorite artists, it's unbelievable !"

"You look dashing ! What are you wearing ?"

"Actually, this is tailored-made.", Mike gestured towards his black tuxedo. "I wanted to show up in jeans but my partner talked me into wearing a tux !", he laughed, nudging Harvey with his shoulder.

"Well, we're glad you did !", she smiled at Harvey. "You all look absolutely dashing.", the woman laughed. "Good luck on your nomination and we can't wait for your performance !"

"Oh thank so much, we're just glad to be here, it's such an honor, I mean, we still have a lot to prove. Thank you.", he smiled politely as Simon waved at them.

When they were finally inside the venue, Mike was still grinning.

"This is crazy !", he exclaimed.

"You need to change for your performance before you get to your seats.", Simon said, opening a door to the backstage area.

Inside their dressing room, Donna and Paul were chatting with the make-up artist.

"Show's starting in 30 minutes guys.", a man with a headset warned, sticking a head through the door.

Mike quickly jumped into a pair of faded black jeans and a tight white V-neck while the make-up artist was desperately trying to apply powder on his face.

Jenny chose to keep her evening gown for the performance but she ditched her high heels pumps for sneakers.

 

 

The band had been awarded half a row and was sitting behind Katy Perry and Beyonce and their entourage. Mike had asked Harvey, Donna and Paul to sit next to them rather than with the regular spectators.

"To present the award for Best Rock Video, please welcome Oscar winner actor Matthew McConaughey !"

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen ! That was quite a performance, right ? Beyonce put the stage on fire. I'm proud to be presenting the rock category because rock bands always give such memorable performances. Let's not waste any time, here are the nominees."

A small clip started, showing the four nominees and Harvey took a glance at Mike. His face was tense, his jaw clenched and his eyes fixed on the stage.

"And the winner for Best Rock Video is..."

Mike tightened his grip on Harvey’s hand.

Matthew McConaughey opened the golden envelope and grinned.

"Mike and the Harmony for Chicago !"

Chicago started playing and Jenny jumped on her seat while Trevor and Mike hugged tightly. The four band members hugged, exchanging dumbfounded looks and laughing with surprise. Mike hugged Simon and turned to Harvey and kissed him. "Oh my God.", he whispered in his ear and Harvey pulled him closer before releasing him. He hugged Donna and Paul then the band climbed down the stairs from their seats to the stage under the never ending clapping and cheering. 

Matthew McConaughey handed the Moonman statuette to Mike who lifted it in the air with a grin.

"Wohooooo !", Trevor yelled into the microphone.

Mike stepped in front of the microphone, eyes wide with excitement and surprise, and cleared his throat.

"Wow.”, he laughed. “This is unexpected. Obviously, we haven’t prepared a speech but hum… Thank you to everybody who voted for us.", Mike said, clutching the award close to his chest. "It is an honor. Being nominated with our favorite artists and winning ? It’s unbelievable ! Thank you for making our dream come true.”, he smiled and the close-up on the big screen showed tears polling in his eyes. “Thank you Simon for being our reason, our schedule, our father, our friend." The screen displayed a grinning Simon. "And thank you Harvey, for being my inspiration. I love you.", Mike added with a fond smile. Harvey grinned and then blushed when he saw himself on the big screen. "And last but not least, Thank you MTV !!!", Mike concluded, wrapping an arm around Trevor’s shoulders.

The four musicians bowed down and left the stage. 

 

As Simon had told them, a commercial break was announced and staff members rushed their instruments to the stage while they waited patiently.

When the break was over, Britney Spears and Ellen de Generes (host of the ceremony) passed by them and climbed back on the stage.

“Oh my God, Britney Spears is introducing us ?!”, Jenny said, covering her mouth with her hand.

They waved and walked to two microphone stands on the right hand side.

“Welcome back to the MTV Video Music Awards !”, Ellen cheered. “Britney, you’ve had some pretty iconic performances in the past, which one is your favorite.”

“I know it’s cliché but I’ve loved every one of them.”, Britney laughed. “Though dancing and singing while carrying a snake on stage will probably always be a special memory.”

“So, our next performers just won their first award ever.”, Ellen said. “Do you know them, Britney ?”

“Actually, I met with them during the red carpet, they’re really cool and I might be a little bit in love with Mike’s boyfriend.”, Britney giggled. “Seriously, I’m happy for them, I love their music.”

“Mike, you heard the woman.”, Ellen warned with a smile. “She’s Britney Spears, you should watch your back, she might come for your boyfriend.”

Britney giggled again while the screen displayed images of Mike and the band waiting to come on stage. Mike was shaking his head with a grin and making a cutthroat gesture.

“Without further delay, here are Mike and The Harmony performing their number one hit song Chicagooooo !”, Ellen exclaimed, exiting the stage with Britney.

The audience cheered loudly as Trevor, Jenny and Tess entered the stage and walked to their expected spots in front of an orchestra of musicians already in place in the back.

They started playing Mike arrived running to his microphone as the music got louder.

They had spent hours if not days rehearsing for this moment and everything went smoothly, perfectly even, the huge crowd of anons and celebrities singing along to every word of the song.

They bowed down again, and again, and again before leaving the stage with the applause of the audience.


	15. The Calls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter.  
> I got to visit my Mum this weekend and it probably was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Guillain-Barré syndrom is fucking scary. She's basically paralysed from the neck down though she can move her shoulders and is starting to be able to move her arms. She can't move her fingers and moving at all requires a lot of work but she seems motivated and full of hope. She cannot speak because she's got a breathing tube and a feeding tube down her throat and nose but she conveyed a lot with her eyes.  
> Seeing her like that had me cry for the rest of the day and the day after but the doctors say she's fighting like a champ'.  
> Thank you again to everybody who prayed for her or sent good vibes.
> 
> Anywaayyy, sorry about that personal note but I wanted to let you know :)  
> Hope you like this chapter !!!  
> Let me know, I LOVE getting comments.  
> xoxo

At 5 the next morning, only 3 hours after they had gone to bed, Mike’s alarm went on in the silent bedroom.

Harvey seemed to be the only one bothered by it, as Mike didn’t so much as move a finger. His heavy head was resting on Harvey’s chest, his right arm and right leg thrown over Harvey’s body.

They had been chauffeured back from the after party around two in the morning, had stripped down to their underwear and gone straight to bed. They had had a great time, dancing and drinking champagne and funky cocktails. All the celebrities in attendance had congratulated Mike and the band, even the guys from Muse had wanted to shake their hands and had had nothing but praises for them.

Lots of pictures had been taken and Harvey had tried not to think about where they were going to end up and how he was going to explain all of it at the firm. When he had told Jessica he was going to accompany Mike at the televised star-studded event, she had raised a disapproving eyebrow and reminded him that he was a reflection of the firm. He had rolled his eyes and asked her if he had ever done anything to tarnish their image. She had replied that no, he had never done that _yet_ , but that Hollywood was a complete other world with other rules and other consequences.

Harvey was aware that being on TV with his barely legal boyfriend was unconventional and could be subject to many interpretations and unsolicited opinions. His being gay had never been a problem, he had never kept it a secret, and it had actually brought business to the firm. But dating a very young rising star was something else and he could only imagine the amount of explaining he would have to do at first.

He kissed the top of Mike’s head and intertwined his fingers with his.

“Mike.”, he whispered, squeezing his hand.

Mike mumbled something before moving even closer to Harvey and burying his head in the crook of his neck.

“Donwannago.”

Harvey smiled and closed his eyes, enjoying their last moment of closeness before a long time.

“But you have to.”, he whispered, his chest tightening. “You’re a superstar now.”

Mike chuckled and lazily pressed his mouth against the warm and soft skin of Harvey’s neck.

“Go shower, I’ll fix you something to eat.”

Mike reluctantly sat up and rubbed his face.

“I’m so tired.”, he yawned loudly.

Harvey also sat up and wrapped his arms around him.

“You’ll sleep on the plane.”, he said, nuzzling the nape of his neck.

Mike hummed sleepily and turned his head around to kiss Harvey.

“I’m gonna miss you so much.”, he whispered against Harvey’s lips.

Harvey closed his eyes and swallowed thickly.

“Go shower.”, he said, running his thumb across Mike’s bottom lip before leaving the bed.

He walked to the kitchen and started the coffee machine. He put two slices of bread in the toaster and turned on the TV.

Mike appeared in the living room ten minutes later, washed and dressed but obviously still half asleep. He joined Harvey on the couch and rested his head on his shoulder.

“Hey, don’t fall back asleep. Let me get you some coffee.”

They silently sipped their coffee and watched the news and jumped when Mike’s phone rang.

“Hey Simon.”, Mike rasped. “Already ?”, he whined. “Yeah ok, I’ll be right down.”

He sighed heavily and put his phone back in his jeans pocket before wrapping his arms around Harvey.

“I have to go, the car’s here.”, he whispered, glancing up.

Harvey nodded and run a hand through Mike’s hair.

Neither of them wanted to let go but they eventually did, both wincing internally at the loss of contact.

They got back up and Mike grabbed his duffle bag.

“I’ll uh, I’ll call you when we land in London.”, he said in a sad voice.

Harvey managed a sad smile and pulled him into a kiss.

“Have a safe trip.”, he whispered.

“I already miss you.”, Mike replied.

 

Harvey arrived at the firm at 7:30. Donna was already at her desk and a cup of coffee lay on the small counter before her. She looked as tired as Harvey but some well-applied make up hid the bags under her eyes.

“Morning.”, she smiled when he reached her area. “Coffee.”, she pointed at the paper cup. “Press review.”, she added, handing a stack of paper.

“Thank you.”, Harvey said, grabbing the offered coffee. “What is it ?”, he asked, shooting a confused look at the printed sheets.

“Every blog article about last night.”, Donna smiled. “You and Mike topped the Best Dressed list on both Perez Hilton and TMZ. René is going to be ecstatic.”

Harvey frowned and put the cup down to take a look at the articles.

The first page displayed a picture of Mike and him from the red carpet photocall and the couple of lines at the bottom of the page explained that “ _Mike Ross from Mike + The Harmony and his boyfriend looked picture perfect last night, donning matching tuxedos. The 21-year old frontman smiled for the cameras before getting up on the stage to collect his first award and perform his number one hit song with his acolytes._ ”. The second page, from Perez Hilton, that’s what the header said, showed another picture of Mike and Harvey kissing. There was a caption that read : “ _Mike Ross and his partner, Harvey, looking very much in love during the show._ ”.

Harvey lifted his head from the papers and looked at Donna.

“Are all of the articles like these ?”, he asked.

“Pretty much.”, she replied. “One of them calls you Mike’s sugar daddy and another one says they’re going to investigate on you, they suspect you’re some kind of model.”

“A model ?”, Harvey asked with wide eyes.

Donna smiled and nodded.

“Oh and there’s this one with a picture of us at the after party.”, she added. “They say Paul’s cuter than you.”

Harvey rolled his eyes and sighed. He grabbed the coffee cup and walked into his office.

“Harvey Specter’s office.”, he heard Donna announce as she picked up a call. “Yes he actually just arrived, let me put you through.”

“Harvey !”, she called. “I’ve got a Larry Rudolph on the line for you.”

Harvey frowned as the name didn’t ring any bell and picked up the receiver.

“Harvey Specter.”

“Mr. Specter, Larry Rudolph. I’m Britney Spears manager, we exchanged business cards yesterday.”

Harvey tried to remember when exactly he had given someone his business card yesterday and the only answer he could come up with was that it must have happened at the after party, when they were all tipsy.

“Hum, sure.”, he said. “How can I help you ?”

“Well, Miss Spears would like you to represent her.”, the man, Larry, replied.

“Oh. But hum, I specialize in corporate law, not the music industry.”

“I know. But she said Mike Ross told her you were the best. Could we meet sometime this month ? You probably know that she’s under a strict conservatorship she’s looking to have lifted before the end of the year and she’d like your help.”

Harvey wetted his lips.

“I didn’t know.”, he answered honestly. “I’m not sure I’m what she’s looking for in terms of ‘help’, but I’d gladly meet with you to discuss the matter.”

“Great.”, Larry said. “I’ll call you later this week to schedule a meeting. Oh and just so you know, we’re talking millions here. She wants new legal representation for every one of her marketing and music deals _and_ her legal battles.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”, Harvey concluded politely. “Call me back with a date and we’ll take things from there.”

“Thank you Mr. Specter and have a great day.”

As he was discarding the call, a breathless Tom knocked on his door.

“Come in Thomas.”

“You’re dating Mike Ross ?”, the young man asked with a dumbfounded look, not even bothering to greet his boss.

Harvey took a deep breath. He had not thought about Tom, Mike’s number one fan.

“Yes.”, he replied. “Is that a problem ?”

Tom gaped at him for second before finally speaking.

“When I told you I was going to see them play in Toronto, you were already dating ?”

“Yes. Well, no. But I knew him.”

“Oh my God this is so cool.”, the young man grinned. “You’re like the coolest guy in the world !”

Harvey smiled and remembered when Mike had told him that.

“Damn right I am.”, he smirked. “Did you want something else ? Are you done with the stack of proofing I gave you last Friday ?”

“Hum yeah.”, Tom replied, handing the stack of files.

“Thank you. Did you meet with the witnesses for the Brochman case ?”

“Yes, two of them have agreed to testify.”, Tom replied proudly.

“Good. Call them and set up a meeting so we can brief them before court.”

“Will do, Harvey !”

Harvey raised an eyebrow and nodded.

“Thank you _Tom_.”, he said, dismissing his associate.

As Tom was exiting his office, Jessica and an angry-looking Louis arrived.

“Jessica.”, Harvey sighed.

“Harvey, what the hell ?”, Louis snapped while Jessica took a seat on the couch.

“What Louis ?”

“Did you really think it was a good idea to go hang around at the MTV Video Music Award with that toy boy of yours ?”, Louis barked.

Harvey huffed and got up from his chair. He slowly walked towards Louis who took a couple of steps back.

“First of all, Louis.”, Harvey said in a menacing tone. “Mike is my partner, not my _toy boy._ Second of all, I let it slide the last time you insulted me because I generally feel bad for you and because you’re a somewhat decent lawyer.”, he said, talking another step towards Louis who now had his back on the glass wall. “But that’s the very last time you talk to me like that, understood ?”

Louis nodded and gulped.

“And finally, Britney Spears’ manager called me this morning, she wants me to represent her. So if you think I was _hanging around_ yesterday, then think again !”, Harvey added. He was dangerously close to Louis. “Now you get the hell out of my office and I ever so much as see your face again today, I’ll fire the fuck out of you !”

“Harvey.”, Jessica temporized.

“I don’t want to hear another word about it.”, Harvey said, walking back to his desk, his eyes closely watching as Louis stormed out of his office.

“You can’t ignore the fact that the situation is rather unusual, Harvey.”, she said with a pointed look.

“I know it is.”, Harvey replied. “I’m starting to realize that maybe last night’s wasn’t such a great idea. But I will not tolerate to be talked to like that. Even more by someone like Louis.”

Jessica smiled.

“You do what you think is best for you and the firm, Harvey.”, she said, leaving the office. “I’m proud of you.”, she winked.

He smiled. He knew what she meant. She was proud of him for standing up for himself. She was proud of what he had become. The brilliant but shy and insecure man she had met 15 years ago was now a powerful and confident lawyer. She was proud of that.

 

 

Mike and the other members of the band walked through the airport followed by paparazzi shouting their names. He felt nauseated and tired and hungry and sad. He didn’t smile for the cameras and headed straight to the VIP Lounge.

“You look upset.”, Simon told him.

“I am.”, Mike replied, earbuds on, looking through the songs on his iPod.

“And why is that ?”

“I’m tired. I wish we could have stayed longer.”

“I know.”, Simon said. “A month seems like a long time to be away but you’ll get used to it. And you’ll discover new places, where there’s lots to see and lots to do. It will pass in the blink of an eye.”

Mike shrugged, unconvinced.

“We’ll need to hire an assistant.”, Simon said to change the subject. “There’s so much going on. We need someone to look after the four of you, I cannot do that anymore.”

“Are you going to hold interviews ?”, Mike asked.

“I have someone in mind. I’d like you to meet him.”

Mike raised an eyebrow.

“His name’s Derek Hale. He’s a friend of mine.”, Simon explained. “I asked him to fly to London so you guys could meet him and see if it could work out. He has toured with Rihanna and Katy Perry. He’s a great guy.”

“Ok.”, Mike sighed.

He closed his eyes and pressed play.

 

 

Harvey spent the day retreated in his office, getting weird looks from people passing by the glass walls. A magazine had managed to find who he was and called his office. Donna had basically told him to get lost and not call again unless he was looking for legal representation, reminding him that Harvey Specter’s time ran 1000$ an hour.

At 5, his phone rang.  

“Hey Mike.”, he smiled.

“Hey.”, Mike replied in a soft voice. “We just landed in London, we’re waiting for our luggage. How are you ?”

“I’m good. My associate said I was the coolest guy in the world for dating you.”

Mike chuckled.

“You are. But it has nothing to do with me.”, he replied fondly. “I’m exhausted.”, he yawned. “What time is it in New-York ?”

“It’s exactly 5:02. What time is it over there ?”

“It’s 10 pm. I’m heading straight to bed.”, Mike yawned again.

Harvey heard the familiar bip of a waiting call. The screen displayed Paul’s smug face.

“Can you hold on a second ? I have Paul calling me.”, he asked.

“Sure.”

“Paul ?”

“Mum’s awake !”, Paul exclaimed.

“Thank God.”, Harvey breathed. “I’ll be right there.”

“I’m heading there now, I’ll meet you in the lobby.”

“Yeah.”

He tapped the screen.

“Mike ?”

“Yeah, is your Mum okay ?”, Mike asked worryingly.

“Actually, she just woke up.”, Harvey smiled.

“Oh God.”, Mike sighed in relief. “I’m so happy for you all. Go see her.”

“Yeah, I’m leaving for the hospital.”, Harvey said, shutting down his computer and shoving files into his briefcase.

“I miss you.”, Mike whined. “I wish I could be with you and see Helena.”

“I miss you too.”, Harvey replied, walking passed Donna’s empty desk. “I’ll tell her you say hi, ok ?”

“Yeah. I gotta go.”

“Sleep well. I’ll text you.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too.”

 

 

Mike woke up the next morning with a couple of texts from Harvey. They said is Mum was fine, that she was awake and resting and that she said hi too.

The band was recording three TV shows today and had two photo shoots scheduled for various magazines. Then they were flying to Berlin. And then to Paris.

It was exciting. It was everything he had hoped for, what he had planned all along. What he hadn’t planned was to meet someone he’d want to share this with. And he couldn’t. Harvey was in New-York, busy running a very powerful law firm, busy living the life he had been living for 42 years before he had met Mike barely 2 months ago.

A month. An then ? Another month of travelling and missing Harvey ?

Everything suddenly seemed pointless. It was like winning a trip to the moon but travelling alone. It didn’t sound so fancy anymore, didn’t sound so exciting anymore.

Mike sat up in his bed and rubbed his face. He was going to figure out a way to make his two favorite things meet, figure out a way to get the best of both worlds.

 

 

At 2 in the afternoon, as the band was getting ready for one of their photo shoots, Simon arrived with a young man.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I would like you to meet Derek Hale.”, he said with a smile. “He’s a friend of mine and maybe your future assistant.”

The man, Derek, smiled shyly. He was tall and handsome with dark hair and bright green eyes. 

“Here are Mike.”, Simon said, pointing his index finger. “Jenny, Trevor and Tess.”

“Nice to meet you guys.”, he waved.

“Derek is going to stay with us for a few days, see how we work and get to know you.”, Simon explained. “They’re getting ready for a photo shoot for NME.”, he said, turning to Derek. “Their photographer is late but I warned them that we have to leave at 3, so they’re going to have to make do with the time they have.”

Derek nodded and watched as a make-up artist was finishing Jenny’s eyes.

“The label has provided us with a car and a driver.”, Simon continued, typing on his phone. “We have two shows to tape this afternoon at 4 and 5, in the same building. They’re performing and giving an interview. Another photo shoot for Rolling Stones UK is scheduled at 7 at the hotel and then they’re having dinner with a couple of journalists at 9. They’re free to go at 11.”

Jenny sighed heavily.

“Free to go ?”, she smiled. “You mean free _to go_ _to bed_ , right ?”

Simon rolled his eyes.

“Today’s the most busy day. You’ll have time to visit London tomorrow.”, he said.

 

 

When Harvey arrived in his office after breakfast with a client, there was another one of Donna’s press reviews sitting on his desk.

The first article was titled “Mike Ross’ sugar daddy identified.”

A picture of them smiling and holding hands on the red carpet served as an introduction to a long article detailing Harvey’s career and current position. It said that Harvey Specter was 42, wealthy and powerful, that he lived on the Upper East Side and that he like boxing and running. _And “sugar daddy” ?_

Harvey sighed and put the file away. How the hell did they manage to know that ?

“I think I know who spilled the beans.”, Donna said, coming in his office and closing the door behind her.

“Who ?”

“Our friend Cameron Dennis called this morning to make fun of you.”, she said angrily.

Harvey huffed.

“That would explain ‘sugar daddy’.”, he said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“You have a conference call with Mr. Tyler in 20 minutes.”, Donna said, getting up.

 _Ah right_. Neal’s assault case.

Harvey nodded and typed a text to Mike.

“Hope you’re having fun. Be good. Xoxo”

 

The phone call with the opposing counsel did not go well, of course the man had heard of Harvey Specter, closer extraordinaire, and basically told him that he would never settle. So they were taking the case to court.

Harvey had complete faith in the outcome of the trial, there was no way Neal would lose but it implied time and research Harvey would have liked to devote to his other cases. The ones where winning wasn’t the most viable option.

So he passed the case to Tom and assured Neal that he was in good hands and that he would second chair at the trial.

 

 

“I need something to drink.”, Trevor said, slumping onto the couch in Mike’s hotel room. “What’s in the mini bar ?”

Mike opened the mini bar door and retrieved a bottle of red wine.

“Sweet !”, he grinned.

He poured two glasses and joined Trevor on the couch when someone knocked on the door.

“Come in !”, Mike called lazily.

Derek opened the door and entered the luxurious suite.

“Aren’t you guys tired ?”, he asked, looking at the bottle on the coffee table.

“Yes we are.”, Trevor replied, getting up to fetch another glass. “But it’s like the moment of relaxation we’re allowed today so we intend on enjoying it.”

He poured a glass for Derek and motioned for him to sit down on the armchair.

“So Derek.”, he said in a serious voice. “Who are you ?”

Derek laughed and took a big gulp of wine.

“Who I am ? Well, I’m 32, born and raised in New-York, basketball fan, music fan. I have a brother and a step sister. What else do you wanna know ?”

Mike narrowed his eyes and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

“Why exactly are you here for ?”, he asked.

“Well, I’m supposed to babysit you basically.”, Derek replied with a kind smile. “I have to make sure you eat right, that you sleep enough, that your basic needs are met. You can ask me anything. From sending flowers to your Mum for her birthday to shopping for you, I’m here to facilitate your daily life.”

“That’s awesome.”, Trevor said, pouring himself another glass. “Simon said he couldn’t do that anymore because he’s too caught up with the organization.”

“He is.”, Derek agreed. “You may not have realized it yet, but you’re becoming superstars. Simon is getting swamped with requests from magazines, tv shows and radios around the world.”

Mike studied the man’s face for a moment. He had a genuine smile, kind eyes and a well-defined jaw. Overall, he was handsome. He didn’t seem to have any flaws, he was muscular, had a nice voice, perfect teeth, great hair and great skin, nice hands. He looked like an underwear model, the kind of man that anybody would agree was handsome but who lacked charm.

“So you guys are from Canada, right ?”, Derek asked.

“Yup. Born and raised.”, Trevor replied. “Mike and I grew up in foster care.”

“Sorry.”, their new assistant said. “You’ve come a long way.”, he added, raising his glass to them.

“Mike’s always been the leader.”, Trevor said. “If it hadn’t been for his genius and tenacity, we wouldn’t be here. He was the one who stole the van which we drove across the US two years ago.”

“You make me sound like a criminal !”, Mike laughed, giving Trevor’s shoulder a gentle slap. “We didn’t have any money.”, he said, to Derek this time. “We could play music, write music, but we needed inspiration. We needed to live a little. This trip was the beginning of Mike and The Harmony.”

Derek nodded with a smile.

“I still don’t know how to write lyrics.”, Trevor corrected. “Mike does all the heavy lifting. I just play the guitar and smile for the cameras.”, he added with a laugh.

“That’s not true.”, Mike said with a fond smile. “Everyone of us is important in the band. Because it’s not just about the music or the lyrics. Playing live requires chemistry, as well as travelling does. And we’re very close, we’re family.”

“Awwwww.”, Trevor mocked, pulling Mike into a hug.

Derek laughed and finished his glass.

“You guys should go to bed.”, he said, getting up. “Tomorrow’s lighter than today in terms of schedule but there’s a lot to see in London.”, he winked.

Trevor yawned and got up.

“Yeah, let’s go to bed. Goodnight Mike.”

“Goodnight guys.”, Mike replied, pouring the remaining of the bottle into his glass.

 

 

Harvey left the office at 7 for a quick visit to his Mum. She was resting and visitors weren’t allowed to stay more than 15 minutes.

Ray pulled over in front of the small garden surrounding the hospital.

“I’ll take a cab back, go have dinner with your family.”, Harvey smiled before closing the car door.

The familiar sound of a camera snapping pictures startled him and when he turned around, he was blinded by a flash.

“Hey !”, he shouted, covering his eyes with one hand. “You can’t take pictures here, it’s a hospital !”

The paparazzo didn’t flinch, he kept snapping away, walking closer to Harvey.

“I’m on the sidewalk.”, he shrugged.

Harvey’s jaw tensed and he turned towards the entrance.

“Are you visiting a client ?”, the photographer asked.

“None of your business.”, Harvey replied, stepping on the pathway. “It’s not the sidewalk anymore, you’re not allowed to take pictures here. Get the hell out.”

The photographer stopped right before the small step leading to the pathway and snapped a couple of pictures of Harvey entering the building before walking away.

 

 

“Hey.”, Harvey smiled when he answered his phone later that evening.

“Hey.”, Mike yawned loudly. “How are you ?”

“I’m good. You sound tired.”

“I am… We’ve been working non-stop since 8 this morning. Our new personal assistant said we should go to bed but I wanted to talk to you.”

Harvey smiled.

“You have a personal assistant now ?”, he asked.

“Yeah, Derek. 32, looks like a model. Kinda nice. Apparently he’s worked with celebrities before.”

“A model ? Could have been worse.”, Harvey tried to joke.

A young handsome man was going to spend the next month with Mike. Harvey wasn’t the jealous type, but he had had too many bad experiences. Too many stories that had started, and well also ended, with a “I met this guy…”.

“I guess.”, Mike shrugged. “Had a good day ?”

“Boring. But I just came back from the hospital and the doctors say Mum’s recovering nicely.”, he said.

“That’s great. Oh and by the way, you look hot with that burgundy tie.”

Harvey looked down at his tie and raised an eyebrow.

“How did you know ?”

“I just saw it online.”, Mike laughed. “Pictures of you visiting your Mum.”

“Already ?!”, Harvey exclaimed. “I really don’t see what’s so interesting about me going into a hospital…”

“They have a theory.”, Mike said, stretching loudly. “There’s a plastic surgery department in that hospital, they think you’re getting plastic surgery or botox.”

“What ?”, Harvey burst out laughing.

“I know !”, Mike laughed. “At least they don’t know about your Mum. She’s safe.”

“Yeah… So how was your day ?”

“Exhausting. I’m tired of smiling and talking.”

“Are you leaving London tomorrow ?”

“Nope, Thursday.”

Harvey sighed.

“I know…”, Mike said, closing his eyes. “And it’s only been 2 days.”

“You said you were going back to the US in 2 weeks, right ?”

“Yes, LA.”

“I haven’t taken a proper vacation in years so I was thinking I could maybe visit you there ?”

“Oh my God, that’d be awesome ! I can’t wait to see you.”

“Go to bed, and enjoy your stay.”, Harvey ordered.

“I’ll try.”, Mike yawned again.

“I didn’t say ‘try’. Traveling is a wonderful opportunity and Europe is a beautiful continent. A lot of people would kill to trade places with you. Don’t be a brat.”

“I know…”, Mike whined. “But I miss you and I wished I could experience all of this with you.”

“I miss you too.”, Harvey’s voice softened. “I’ll see you in two weeks. Until then, enjoy it through and through. Get inspired, taste food, learn new languages, meet new people, ok ?”

“Yes Daddy.”, Mike pouted.

“Don’t call me that. Magazines are already saying I’m your sugar daddy…”

“Are they ?”, Mike laughed. “Oh my God Harvey !”

“That’s not funny !”

“Oh yes it is ! It’s hilarious !”

Harvey rolled his eyes but couldn’t help smiling upon hearing Mike’s ever so carefree laugh.

“I love you Harvey.”, Mike said.

“I love you too Mike. Go to bed.”

“Aye aye captain !”


	16. The Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry about the loooonng wait, but I had so many things on my mind I just couldn't write a word. My Mum is doing better, she's breathing on her own now and is leaving the ICU tomorrow for the neurology department. There are a lot of improvements already. I'm going to visit her next weekend and I can't wait to hear her voice... :D  
> Anyway, thank you for your prayers and kind words and thanks for sticking to my story.  
> Here's a new chapter, let me know what you think !  
> xoxo

“Hey guys !”, Mike cheered, sitting at a piano and holding he camera. “I’m with Trevor and this is Derek, he’s our babysitter !”, Mike giggled while Trevor and Derek waved. “We’re in Paris and it’s raining.”, he turned the camera to the window. “We’ve been on the Eiffel Tower, it’s crazy up there ! We’re visiting the Louvres later today and then we’re flying back to the US tomorrow. Anyway, my suite has a freaking piano and I’ve been wanting to do this cover for a long time so here it is. It’s called [Open Air](http://youtu.be/sccDKzcXHjk) and was originally sung by Lemolo.”

Mike settled the camera and started pressing the keys.

_You need open air, all this open air_   
_We had open air, so much open air_   
_And you put your body out my window like_   
_You put your body out my window like_   
_You need open air, all this open air_   
_We had open air, so much open air_   
_And you put your body out my window like_   
_You put your body out my window_   
_With the top down, we were headed South with the top down_   
_All the way East in our nightgowns_   
_All the way West with our knife out_   
_Headed North with the top down, with our knife out_   
_With our knife out..._

Both Trevor and Derek clapped their hands and whistled loudly when he was done.

“They’re quite the audience, right ? Thanks for watching and supporting us !”, Mike smiled broadly before pressing the stop button.

 

Almost two weeks had passed since Mike and the band had left the US for their European promo trip. Mike had called Harvey everyday, sometimes twice a day and Harvey had watched every Youtube video or live stream of the band’s TV interviews and various appearances. Donna had made him create an Instagram account to follow Mike, and of course her, Paul and Geraldine as well. He had never posted a picture, apart from his profile picture, but received hundreds of requests from fans everyday.

Harvey had flown to LA to meet with Larry Rudolf and Britney Spears and they had had lunch together, pictures of them at The Ivy had surfaced the next day, fueling speculations about Britney’s conservatorship. One journalist had written that Britney Spears was “teaming up with New-York’s most feared lawyer” and another one had predicted that lots of artists would start lining up for a chance to be represented by Harvey Specter. Which wasn’t entirely false since a couple of them had already set up meetings with him and Jessica.

Harvey had managed to clear Neal from the assault charges that had been pressed against him. The two-day trial had turned into a media frenzy for two reasons : because Harvey was the defense attorney and because of the homophobic nature of the case.

Following his recent media exposure, there sometimes was a paparazzo or two waiting for Harvey at the firm or in front of his building but they seemed to be getting tired of snapping pictures of a man in a suit shielding his face with a briefcase. Luckily, Harvey could run his weekend errands without much trouble except for this one time when he had nearly ran over a photographer’s foot when entering his parking lot.

 

On this rainy and cold November Wednesday morning, Harvey drove to the hospital to pick up his Mum who was being released after almost three weeks of care.

“Hey Mum.”, he smiled when he entered her room.

She was sitting on her bed, with her coat on, suitcase made and closed, obviously more than ready to go.

“Let’s go.”, she smiled back.

She was doing a lot better, she had completely recovered from her attack and her shot wound was healed. They had also used her staying at the hospital to run a couple of scan test to check on the healed cancer. But she was still tired and had been advised to rest for another month before going back to her usual occupations.

When they arrived at her house, Ellen was in the kitchen cooking lunch.

“Muum !”, she said with a broad smile. “Happy to be home ?”

“You have no idea.”, Helena replied, rolling her eyes.

“Come sit down.”, Ellen said, pointing at a chair. “Are you staying for lunch Harv ?”

“Why not, I’m off for the day.”, Harvey replied. “But I have to be at the airport in two hours and I need to drop by my place to get my stuff first, so we better make it quick.”

“Oh that’s right.”, Helena smiled wickedly. “The big reunion with Mike.”

“It’s only been two weeks, Mum.”, Harvey said, rolling his eyes.

“Paul showed me his Instagram the other day, there were pictures of London and Paris, he’s living the dream.”, Ellen said, putting a steaming dish on the table.

Helena suddenly cleared her throat.

“I want to sell the house.”, she said in a sigh.

“Ok.”, Ellen replied softly.

“Why ?”, Harvey asked, looking down at his plate.

Helena took his hand in hers and sighed again.

“I have been through a lot in the past month and a half.”, she explained. “It’s been eye-opening. I need to turn a page.”

Harvey pursed his lips and looked away.

“And where would you want to move ?”, Ellen asked, pouring them each a glass of wine.

“I was thinking about Florida, where your aunt Miranda lives.”

“What ?”, Harvey gasped, pulling his hand away.

“I know.”, Helena said with a sad smile. “But I want a fresh start and the sun.”

Harvey huffed and shook his head.

“Sweetheart.”, she said. “It’s only a 3-hour plane ride away from New-York.”

Ellen sighed and took a sip of her wine.

“I haven’t told Paul and Geraldine yet.”, Helena added.

“Don’t worry, we won’t tell them.”, Ellen reassured her Mum with a smile. “I’m gonna miss this.”, she added, taking a look around the room.

Harvey swallowed thickly and downed his glass in one gulp.

Ellen served the food and passed on the plates in silence.

 

Harvey sent a text to Mike right before boarding, to let him know that his flight was on time. Mike had said he would come pick him up at the airport. He had warned him about the paparazzi that had greeted them when they had touched down in LA the day before and that would probably be there when he arrived as well.

Harvey spent the entire 6-hour flight lost in his thoughts, torn between the sad news about his mother selling the family house and moving to Florida and the wonderful feeling of seeing Mike again after what had felt like a year away from him.

At 6 pm, LA time, Harvey finally walked into the arrival’s hall.

As soon as he spotted Harvey, Mike grinned and broke into a run before jumping in his arms and wrapping his legs around him.

“Hey.”, Harvey smiled, trying to keep his balance.

Mike pressed their foreheads together and kissed him.

“You’re heavy.”, Harvey whispered, breaking the long kiss.

Mike chuckled and Harvey put him back down.

“Let’s go get your luggage.”

Lost in the bliss of their reunion, they hadn’t paid attention to the 4 paps immortalizing the cute moment.

“Shit.”, Mike whispered, grabbing Harvey’s hand. “I’ll ask the driver to get your suitcase. We’re gonna run to the car, alright ?”, he smiled mischievously. “One two three go !”

 

“So ? What’s the plan ?”, Harvey asked when they entered Mike’s suite.

Mike turned around with a smirk and pinned him against the wall.

“I have big plans for us tonight.”, he breathed, his lips brushing Harvey’s lips.

Harvey closed the very small space between them and pulled him into a kiss.

“But first.”, Mike said, catching his breath. “We’re having dinner with the band.”

Harvey smiled and kissed him again, pulling him closer and grinding their hips together.

“Harvey.”, Mike moaned in Harvey’s mouth.

He pulled Harvey’s shirt out of his pants and unbuckled his pants, letting them drop on the floor.

“I’ve missed you so much.”, he said, sliding his hands around Harvey’s waist and inside his boxers to cup his ass.

“Me or my body ?”, Harvey chuckled, his hands roaming Mike’s back under his t-shirt.

“Both.”, Mike replied, taking Harvey’s bottom lip between his teeth. “But I missed your body more.”

“Hey !”, Harvey frowned, faking being upset.

“I got to talk to you everyday.”, Mike laughed. “I’ve missed your touch…”, he whispered, kissing him again.

Harvey unbuttoned Mike’s jeans and pulled them down then he dropped to his knees.

He hummed and pressed open-mouthed kisses to the warm skin under his belly button, while gently caressing Mike’s boxers-clothed cock with one hand.

Mike moaned and began stroking Harvey’s hair.

Harvey freed Mike’s leaking cock from his boxers and spread the precome over its length before taking it deep into his mouth.

“Harvey…”, Mike gasped, his fingers tightening in Harvey’s hair.

He could feel the head of his cock pressing into Harvey’s throat and he shivered when he felt his tongue swirl around it.

He had been waiting for this moment. Anticipating Harvey’s touch, his hands, his mouth, his scent. He had never really been in a relationship before, except for that one guy, a guitar player, when he first started the band. He had never really expected to like being intimate with the same person more than once or twice. He had not expected the love, the longing, the feeling of belonging to someone.

But here he was, in a 5-star hotel room, eyes closed, reveling in Harvey’s touch.

“Let’s take this to the bedroom.”, he whispered, opening his eyes and looking down at Harvey.

 

“My Mum’s selling the house and moving to Florida.”, Harvey said nuzzling Mike’s hair.

They were lying on the giant bed, sweaty and satiated.

“Oh.”

“Yeah, she told Ellen and I at lunch today. Said she wants to ‘turn a page’.”

“She’s been through a lot.”, Mike said, his index finger tracing patterns on Harvey’s chest.

“I know… I’m going to miss her…”

Mike turned is head up and pressed a soft kiss to Harvey’s chin.

“You’ll visit her. Florida’s nice.”

“Yeah…”

 

An hour later, they were showered and dressed when Trevor knocked on the suite’s door.

“Come in !”, Mike called from the bathroom.

Harvey was sitting on the couch and putting on his socks.

“Hey Harvey !”, Trevor cheered. “Had a nice flight ?”

Harvey stood up to shake his hand but the younger man pulled him into a warm hug.

“Yeah.”, he replied with a smile.

“We’re having dinner all together, you’ll meet Derek, our new assistant, he’s great.”

Harvey nodded and smiled.

“Ready ?”, Mike asked, entering the living room.

“The girls aren’t ready.”, Trevor rolled his eyes. “We’re meeting them downstairs in 20 minutes.”

“Speaking of girls.”, Mike said with a mischievous smile. “When are you going to ask Jenny out ?”

Trevor snorted and took a seat on the couch next to Harvey.

“Never ?”, he replied, lifting his feet up on the coffee table.

“Come on Trev.”, Mike said with a pointed look.

“We work together Mike. We cannot date.”

“Why not ? I don’t see the problem.”

“What do you think Harvey ?”, Trevor asked.

“About Jenny and you dating ?”, Harvey asked with a confused look.

“Yeah, about us working together and dating.”

“I don’t know. I mean, I don’t really know you guys. Usually, it’s not a great idea to date people from _work_ , but if you like each other, it’d be too bad not to give it a try, I think.”

“See ?”, Mike smiled.

“I don’t know if she _likes_ me anyway.”, Trevor huffed.

“She does.”, Mike replied.

“You promised not to talk about that with her ! How would you know ?”

“I just do, Trevor, relax, I didn’t ask her. It’s just so obvious.”

Trevor shook his head and sighed.

“Ok, let’s go !”, Mike said, grabbing his coat.

 

“Harvey !”, Simon greeted him with a warm smile when they stepped out of the elevator.

“Simon.”, Harvey nodded politely and shook his hand.

“Congrats on landing Britney Spears !”, he smiled.

“She’s not signed yet, I’ve met with her and her manager, but we’re still discussing her needs and how my firm could meet them.”

“I’m sure you’ll come to an agreement. The girls are coming down.”, Simon announced. “Oh ! Harvey, this is Derek, the band’s personal assistant.”

“Nice to meet you.”, Harvey smiled.

“Nice to meet you too, I’ve heard a lot about you.”, Derek chuckled. “Harvey this and Harvey that, did you know Harvey this ?”, he teased and Mike rolled his eyes.

Harvey smiled at him fondly.

“I’ve talked about you.”, Mike said defensively. “But I don’t talk about you all the time like Derek’s suggesting.”

“Oh yes you do.”, Derek laughed. “You don’t even notice it !”

The elevator doors open and Tess and Jenny, all dolled-up, walked towards them.

“You two look great.”, Mike said, glad to not be the center of attention anymore.

“Thanks.”, Jenny replied. “Last week’s paparazzi pictures were horrible, I don’t want a repeat.”

“Come on, you always look good.”, Trevor said.

Jenny blushed and looked down.

“Let’s go guys, we had reservations at 8:30 and it’s already 8:45.”, Simon said, clapping his hands together like a teacher would do to get his pupils’ attention.

 

3 hours later, they had eaten and were sitting in the lounge area of the restaurant sipping on various beverages and listening to the jazz band playing.

The dinner had gone well, Mike had shown Harvey the pictures on his phone, they had laughed, shared memories of their European trip, raised their glasses to a great US promo tour and talked about the scheduled recording sessions for their next album. A couple of people had dared to come up to their table to ask for autographs and the bandmates had happily signed napkins and taken selfies with their fans.

“Mr. Ross ?”, the waiter said, leaning forward. “Hector, from the band has asked if you and your friends would like to take over the stage for a while.”

“Oh uh”, Mike replied, turning around to talk to Simon. “Simon, a guy from the band asks if we want to play ?”

“Do you want to ?”, Simon asked with a knowing smile.

“I do, I don’t know about the others.”, Mike smiled back. “Guys !”, he screamed so that Trevor, Tess and Jenny could hear him. “Wanna play ?”, he asked with a smile, a finger pointing at the stage.

“Yes !”, Tess exclaimed, fistbumping Jenny. “Let’s go !”

Mike quickly kissed Harvey and got up with the other bandmates.

“Because you’ve been such a nice audience, we’ve got a little treat for you.”, Hector, the piano player, announced. “We’ve got the guys from Mike and The Harmony.”, he clapped and he left the stage, followed by three other men.

Mike, Trevor, Jenny and Tess climbed on the stage while the people in the restaurant clapped and cheered.

Tess and Jenny (there wasn’t a drum set) each grabbed a microphone and settled on stools at the back of the stage. Trevor took an acoustic guitar and Mike surveyed the instruments before choosing a saxophone.

He walked to Trevor and the girls and whispered something. Trevor gave him the thumbs up and Mike put the saxophone on the piano and sat in front of it.

“Thank you.”, Trevor said with a broad smile. “Since we’re in a jazz club, we’re going to do a cover. If you like jazz as much as we do, you’ve heard of Gordon Specter.”

Mike winked at Harvey who nodded with a surprised smile. The audience cheered, someone even whistled loudly and Trevor casually brushed the strings of his guitar.

“He’s written a beautiful song which is called Places. It’s about your favorite places in the world. It’s beautiful. And…”, he paused and looked over at their table. “We have the pleasure to have Gordon Specter’s son with us tonight.”

Everybody turned their heads towards Harvey, Simon and Derek.

Harvey waved discreetly and blushed, mouthing a couple of shy thank yous.

“Ready ?”, Trevor asked to the two ladies and Mike hit the first key on the piano.

Tess and Jenny started to sing and something in Harvey’s chest tightened with both happiness and sadness, the memories from a song he hadn’t heard in a long time overwhelming him. He had never heard Jenny sing and she had a beautiful voice. They all were very talented.

Mike grabbed the saxophone for a little solo at the end and the whole restaurant stood up to clap when the song was over.

The four musicians and singers bowed down like they always did and walked back to their place. Tess took a violin and sat back on her stool while Mike turned on the microphone on the piano.

“Thank you very much.”, he smiled humbly. “We’re going to try another cover by Tove Lo. It’s one of the songs that’s being played the most on the radio right now, it’s called [Stay High](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYM-RJwSGQ8). It’s not really supposed to be played with a guitar and violin but we’re going to try, alright ? Ready ?”

Harvey had heard the song before, in the car with Ray. Their cover didn’t sound like the original version at all, but it was beautiful nonetheless.

“Thank you so much.”, Mike said when they were done. “Thank you, you’re amazing. Thank you Hector for allowing us to play, furthermore with your instruments.”

They walked back to their table, passing by the other tables while people took pictures.

“You guys did really good.”, Simon said, raising his glass.

“Thank you for playing this song.”, Harvey whispered in Mike’s ear.

Mike smiled and kissed him.

“I’m heading back to the hotel.”, Simon said, getting up. “The last one leaving the restaurant pays, how’s that ?”, he laughed.

“Sure.”, Trevor agreed with a smirk. “Actually, you can stay as long as you want, tonight’s on me.”

“Thanks !”, Tess replied. “Let’s order another round then !”

Jenny chuckled and called the waiter.

“By guys, be good ok ? I don’t want to read anything bad on the Internet tomorrow.”, Simon said, waving at them.

“Don’t worry about us, Daddy.”, Trevor mocked.

Simon shook his head and walked away.

“We should go clubbing !”, Trevor offered, finishing his glass.

“Definitely.”, Tess agreed.

“Guys, it’s late.”, Derek warned. “We should get another drink and go to bed. You have an interview at 10 tomorrow.”

“Party pooper, booooo !”, Trevor laughed, throwing his balled up napkin at his assistant.

“Hey.”, Derek laughed, throwing it back at Trevor. “You heard Simon.”

“He said to behave.”, Jenny said with a smile. “He didn’t say anything about going to a club.”

Derek rolled his eyes.

“You don’t have to go.”, Trevor said. “But we’re definitely going.”

“You wanna go ?”, Mike asked to Harvey. “You’re not too tired ?”

“I’m ok.”, Harvey smiled. “Do you wanna go ?”

“Yes.”, Mike grinned.

“Come on guys let’s goooooo !”, Trevor exclaimed, getting up.

 

They chose a nearby club which Derek had recommended. He knew all the good places in LA, having toured with A-listers before.

The Hideout was a famous club in downtown LA where Derek said celebrities like Rihanna and Kim Kardashian went a lot.

When their driver pulled over in front of the venue, there already was a huge line of people waiting and hoping to get a chance to step inside.

“Stay in the car.”, Derek said. “I’m going to talk to the bouncer first.”

He came back seconds later and motioned for them to step out the car.

There were paparazzi waiting for celebrities and they had been ready to snap as soon as their black SUV had arrived.

The bouncer opened the velvet rope and let them in with a welcoming smile.

The music was really loud and the place was packed but Derek lead them up the stairs to the VIP area where there were couches, bottles of champagne and room to breathe and dance.

“Sweet !”, Trevor smirked, pouring a glass of champagne.

“Don’t drink too much, you’ve had a lot already at the restaurant.”, Derek warned nicely.

“Come on Derek ! You’re so boring !”, Trevor complained. “You need to drink more. Here.”, he said, handing him a glass he had filled up to the brim.

Derek rolled his eyes and grabbed the glass.

The girls were chatting with a couple of other girls sitting on the opposite side of the VIP area and Mike and Trevor walked to the balcony to look at the people dancing downstairs.

“So, you and Mike ?”, Derek asked to Harvey, sitting on one of the couches and patting the space beside him.

“So what ?”, Harvey smiled.

“Is it serious ?”

“Uh, yeah, I mean it’s obviously very new but it is serious. I don’t think I’d be here otherwise.”

“Oh you know.”, Derek sighed. “It doesn’t mean anything. I have chaperoned for Rihanna and Katy and I’ve seen a lot of people come and go.”

Harvey smiled bitterly.

“I’m not saying what you’ve got with Mike is not serious dude.”, Derek said. “I’m just saying it’s not easy dating a celebrity.”

“I know. We haven’t been able to see each other that much since we began dating.”

“Yeah, Mike is complaining all the time.”, Derek laughed. “I wish Harvey could see that, Harvey would love that, I wish Harvey was here… I guess it’s hard for him too.”

“I guess.”, Harvey replied, frowning internally. Were was this whole conversation going ?

“He’s very young.”, Derek said, looking at Trevor and Mike who were refilling their glasses.

Harvey knew that. He knew that Mike was young and just starting his adult life while he was already a successful lawyer with an apartment and friends with wives and kids.

“What do you want ?”, he asked a bit sharply.

He was slowly turning into lawyer mode. He didn’t like the things Derek seemed to be implying here.

“What ? Me ? Nothing ? Why ?”, Derek replied, smiling uncomfortably.

“I don’t know. I’m asking you.”, Harvey said and he inhaled deeply. “Where is this conversation going ?”

“Hey relax.”, Derek said, placing a hand on his knee. “We’re having fun.”

Harvey quickly moved his knee and looked at Mike.

He was laughing with a couple of guys and the girls had joined them. They were drinking and having fun, young and careless. Derek was right. What the hell was he doing here ?

Mike chose this moment to turn around and wink at him with a mischievous smile and an air kiss. Harvey returned a soft smile.

Derek scoffed and refilled his glass.

“Enjoy it while it lasts.”, he muttered.

Harvey’s jaw clenched and he turned his whole body towards Derek.

“What’s your problem Derek ?”

“I know what I’m talking about Harvey.”, the younger man explained, slowly shifting on the couch, away from Harvey. “I’ve seen this a thousand times. They love you, they write songs for you, all they think about is you and then one day, they meet someone else. They realize that there isn’t just you on this earth, that they’re young and don’t really want to settle down. Trust me.”

Harvey pursed his lips.

“And of course you’re telling me this out of generosity.”, he snorted.

“I am, Harvey ! I’m just warning you.”, Derek replied defensively. “I’m telling you, I’ve this happen so many times. Mike will get bored. Besides, he’s just turned 21 and you’re almost 50, I mean, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure how this is going to end. I’ve seen him flirt with young men, you know…”

Harvey jumped off his seat and took a deep breath.

“Mike and I are leaving.”, he said, his eyes fixed on Derek. “You’re not trying to help anybody here and you know it. I swear to God, if you’re still working for the band tomorrow, I’ll dig up every single piece of dirt I’m sure you life is full of and ruin your life. I’ll make sure nobody wants to work with you again. You understand me ?”, Harvey asked, stepping dangerously close to Derek. “Now you better leave the club now, go to your room to type up you letter of resignation and get a good night sleep. I don’t care what you write in that letter, make something up but I don’t want to see you tomorrow. Not in the hotel, not anywhere near the band. Get it ?”

Derek gulped and nodded slowly.

“Of course, if you tell anybody about the little conversation we just had, you know what’s going to happen.”, Harvey added with a wicked smirk.

Derek got up, straightened his clothes and walked to where Mike and the rest of the band was. He whispered something and smiled shyly. The band waved at him and resumed their dancing.

Derek passed by Harvey who followed his gaze until he was out of eyesight.

Harvey let out the breath he was holding and sat back down on the couch.

Mike joined him a couple of minutes later.

“Tired baby ?”, he asked, cupping his face and kissing him.

“A little bit.”, Harvey replied with a smile.

“Let’s go back to the hotel.”, Mike said. “I hope you’re not too tired for what I have in mind?”, he winked.

“You guys leaving ?”, a tipsy Jenny asked, grabbing a bottle of champagne from the ice bucket.

“Yep.”, Mike replied. “Don’t drink too much, ok ? And make sure Trevor gets to bed please.”

“Will do !”, Jenny replied, already heading towards her new friends.

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay ?”, Harvey asked when Mike grabbed his hand.

“Yes I’m sure.”, Mike replied with a fond smile. “This is the part nobody’s going to remember tomorrow anyway?”, he laughed. “Let’s go.”


	17. The Harmony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a new (longer) chapter :)  
> Thanks to everyone who left kudos and comments.  
> Hope you enjoy it, let me know !  
> xoxo

Mike opened his eyes. The room was dark but the curtains were open and he could see the sun getting up. He grabbed his phone and checked the time. 7:32. Harvey was fast asleep on his stomach beside him, head buried in a giant pillow, a soft snore coming out of his nose every time he exhaled. Mike smiled and kissed his forehead.

He must have done something really good, something really right to deserve Harvey. For as long as he could remember, he had always thought he was the least lucky guy in the world. First he had lost his parents and apparently had absolutely no other known relatives, then he had ended up in a weird foster family where the other kids had bullied him. He had been transferred to another family where he had met Trevor but the kids at the school they were attending were constantly making fun of them. He had found solace in learning how to play different instruments.

The future had never looked too bright for Mike and he had learned to not expect anything from people and fate.

But since signing with the record company, things had been looking up. Success had quickly come and he had met Harvey, a smart and kind man. And Harvey had made everything worthwhile. He had given Mike something to hold on to, made him feel things he had never felt and made Mike want to be his very best for someone else than just himself and it felt great.

He giggled happily, his hand gently stroking Harvey’s hair.

Harvey’s eyelids fluttered and his eyes slowly opened, followed by a low growl.

“Morning.”, Mike whispered, though he knew Harvey could probably not hear him, his good ear being the one resting on the pillow.

“Morning.”, Harvey replied with a smile. “I read lips.”, he added softly when he saw Mike’s surprised look.

“Cheater.”, Mike grinned, nudging Harvey’s nose with his.

Harvey smiled and kissed him lazily.

When their tongues met, Mike remembered the last night. They had come back to the hotel shortly after Derek had left the club but it had seemed like Derek hadn’t used the band’s SUV since it had been waiting for them when they had stepped out of the still packed venue.

Once in Mike’s suite, they had kissed their way to the bedroom and Harvey had stripped Mike of his clothes. He had stayed silent, speaking only once, when they had been kissing on the bed, he had asked Mike if he could fuck him and Mike had smiled and agreed. The sex had been rough and Harvey had left a couple of bruises on his body.

Not that he minded, the sex had been nothing short of spectacular, but after a good night’s sleep, when everything was coming back to his mind, he couldn’t help but wonder why Harvey had fucked him so possessively. Was it because they had been apart for two weeks ? Because he had missed him ? Harvey had never been this rough with him, and he had never been so silent.

The thought was quickly replaced with an overwhelming feeling of arousal when he felt Harvey’s hand on his cock.

Mike let out a soft moan and bucked his hips.

“What are you thinking about ?”, Harvey asked in a low voice while pressing light kisses along Mike’s jaw line.

“You.”, Mike replied, his hand roaming over Harvey’s side and settling on his ass. “About last night.”

Harvey propped himself up on his elbow and raised an eyebrow.

“What about last night ?”, he asked.

“The way you… um….”, Mike stuttered and kissed Harvey in a attempt to hide the blush creeping up his cheeks.

Harvey gave Mike’s cock a couple of long strokes and moved on top of him.

“You liked it ?”, he asked in a whisper and grabbed Mike’s earlobe between his teeth.

Mike whimpered and arched his back, allowing their cocks to meet.

“Yeah…”, he breathed.

Harvey sat up, placing his knees on either sides of Mike’s hips and wrapped his hands around their cocks.

Mike closed his eyes and shivered, his body so relaxed he felt himself almost drifting back to sleep.

When he reopened his eyes, Harvey was smiling down at him, eyes filled with lust, one hand still on their cocks, the other one down behind his back. There was a jar of lube sitting on the bed.

“Hey, let me do it.”, Mike said, shifting and sitting back up.

Harvey adjusted himself on Mike’s lap and pulled him into a long kiss.

They were both panting and grinding their cocks together. Without breaking the kiss, Mike grabbed the lube and managed to pour some on his fingers, which he quickly slipped down Harvey’s already slick crack. He pushed a finger in the tight heat.

Harvey groaned into the kiss and their lips finally parted when Harvey tilted his head back with a loud moan.

Mike’s mouth moved to Harvey’s neck and he kissed and gently bit at the exposed skin, inserting another finger past the ring of muscle. He worked him open for a couple of minutes, kissing him, while Harvey’s hands moved frantically from their cocks to Mike’s waist and to cradle his face.

The room was filled with moans, their whispered names and eager slurpy sounds.

Harvey wrapped one of his hands around Mike’s wrist behind his back. Mike pulled his fingers out of Harvey’s warm and welcoming ass and they both stilled to catch their breath.

Harvey lifted up his hips and positioned himself on top of Mike’s leaking cock. He knew he should stop there and grab a condom but he couldn’t, he didn’t want to stop what they were doing, even for a couple of seconds, he needed it right here right now.

Mike bit his bottom lip as Harvey impaled himself on his cock in one go.

“Harvey.”, Mike huffed before Harvey captured his mouth again.

Harvey very slowly started to move up and down and Mike’s nostrils flared when he felt his condom-free cock inside his lover’s tight heat. It twitched in response and Harvey gasped and clenched around it.

“God Mike.”, Harvey exhaled loudly, squeezing his eyes shut.

Mike cupped Harvey’s ass, his fingers caressing the sensitive skin stretching around his cock and he ran his tongue along Harvey’s collarbones and shoulders.

Harvey moaned loudly and began to ride him faster, a hand fisting his own rock-hard cock, the other one cupping Mike’s neck.

His breathing quickened and he came moments later, hot spurts of come landing on his hands and on Mike’s chest.

Mike followed him, his cock twitching in Harvey’s ass while it released its hot load.

They both took a deep breath, their foreheads pressed together.

“Good morning babe”, Mike smiled.

“I guess you can say that.”, Harvey replied with a smirk, his breathing still ragged.

 

Around 9, they made their way downstairs to the hotel restaurant where Tess and Jenny were having an animated breakfast with Simon. They were looking at an iPad and laughing loudly.

“Morning guys.”, Mike said upon approaching their table.

“Morning !”, Jenny replied, handing the tablet to him.

It showed an article from the X17 website titled EXCLUSIVE : MIKE ROSS GREETING HIS BOYFRIEND AT THE AIRPORT. There were pictures of him jumping in Harvey’s arms at the airport and even a video.

“People think you’re cute.”, Tess said with a smile. “We’ve read the comments.”

Mike put the iPad down on the table and took a seat.

“I don’t care what they think.”, he mumbled. “Where are Trevor and Derek ?”

Simon looked at Harvey pointedly before answering.

“Trevor’s getting ready.”, he said, sipping on his coffee. “As for Derek, he received a call this morning, he had to leave for a family emergency.”

“I hope it’s nothing too bad.”, Mike said, grabbing a croissant.

“He didn’t tell me.”, Simon replied. “But I don’t think he will be able to come back before the end of our promo tour. I’m trying to get in touch with new potential assistants. He told me to thank you all for a very nice couple of weeks. He’s really enjoyed working with you.”

“That’s too bad.”, Mike shrugged. “I liked him.”

“Yeah me too.”, Jenny said.

“Anyway, life goes on.”, Simon said, getting up. “I’ve booked a room for your interview, room 2016, meet me there in 30 minutes, we’ll go over your schedule for the next couple of days and you’ll get ready for the photoshoot.”

“’k”, Mike replied with his mouth full and he grinned when a tiny piece of croissant flew from his mouth over to Harvey’s plate.

“You’re disgusting.”, Harvey smiled fondly.

“I think Simon should hire a girl.”, Tess announced. “That way we could go shopping with her and you know girls are way more reasonable than guys.”

“I agree.”, Jenny smiled.

“I agree.”, Harvey repeated with a smile.

“I don’t care.”, Mike said, taking his phone out of his pocket. “I liked Derek just fine. Girl, guy, as long as we get along, I really don’t care.”

He took a picture of his coffee mug.

“What are you doing ?”, Harvey asked.

“Instagramming my breakfast.”

“I did too and I have over 200 likes already.”, Jenny smirked.

“People like your breakfast pictures ?”, Harvey laughed.

The three of them looked up from their phones, glanced at each other with a mock-frown and burst out laughing.

“This is what Instagram is for !”, Tess exclaimed.

She leaned towards Harvey and placed her phone in front of him.

“So.”, she explained. “On Instagram, you’re supposed to share pictures. Square pictures on which you can apply different types of filters to give them a certain vibe, you know ?”

Harvey nodded. “Jenny and I took pictures of our breakfast, see ?”, she continued, scrolling down. “I applied a black and white filter and I wrote ‘Morning guys !’ with a couple of hashtags. I bet you don’t know what they are and that’s going to be our next lesson. I think it’s enough for today.”, she mocked, squeezing Harvey’s forearm.

“Ok.”, Mike said, holding his phone in the air. “Let’s show Harvey a practical example. I just took a picture of you and Tess and I’m going to upload it right now.”, he put the phone down so Harvey could see it. “I choose the picture, zoom in a little and I apply a filter. Then…”, he typed something. “I type my picture description. I wrote “Tess showing the boyfriend how Instagram works.”. Then I press Send. And _voilà_ !”, he smiled triumphantly.

“Everyone can see this picture ?”, Harvey asked worryingly.

“Yep. All of our fans. You’re going to get a lot of likes, trust me.”, Jenny smiled.

“Ok.”, Harvey smiled back shyly.

Mike wrapped an arm around Harvey’s neck and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“You’re cute.”, he grinned. “2 likes already !”, he exclaimed.

“They’re from us, dumbass !”, Tess laughed, nudging Jenny’s arm with her elbow.

 

 

They all met in the room 20 minutes later and while the bandmates were getting dressed, Simon sat down on the couch next to Harvey.

“Something tells me you have something to do with Derek’s departure.”, he said with a pointed look.

Harvey swallowed thickly and wetted his lips.

“Something tells you ?”, he asked.

“Derek didn’t directly mention your name when he gave me his letter of resignation.”, Simon replied. “But he told me it wasn’t his choice, that someone forced him to resign.”

“And that would be me ?”

“I don’t know.”, Simon smirked. “But I’ve watched him getting closer to Mike over the last two weeks, spending more time with him and I was waiting to see how you’d react.”

Harvey raised an eyebrow.

“He disrespected me.”, he said. “Not by trying to get into Mike’s pants, though I was beginning to suspect it. He talked to me last night, when we were at the club. Told me I better enjoy what I had with Mike while it lasted, that I was too old for Mike, that he would get bored and that he’d seen Mike flirt with other people.”

Simon looked away.

“He can think whatever the hell he wants to, and who knows ? He may be right. But I didn’t ask for his opinion and he still shared it with me in a very disrespectful way. He didn’t seem to have the band’s best interests in mind.”

“Look, Harvey.”, Simon finally said, looking deep into his eyes. “I don’t know what you told him, what you threatened him with and I don’t care. He’s a friend of mine and has just started in the music business, so recruiting him may have been a mistake. He indeed was more of a friend to the guys than an assistant. But I’m warning you. Do not interfere with my management again. Are we clear ?”

Harvey narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips before nodding in agreement.

“Good.”, Simon said with a satisfactory smile. “Now that’s settled, let’s move on with our day.”

He walked to the improvised dressing room where Mike and Trevor were laughing and started reciting their schedule for today.

“The first shoot and interview today is for Rolling Stones. You’re doing the cover. Great deal so I want lots of smiles and I wanna see you having fun, alright ?”, he typed something on his phone. “Second interview is for a local newspaper, they’re going to ask you about your very first show which, I hope you remember, took place here in LA. Then we’re having lunch on Rodeo Drive, there will be lots of paparazzi so smile and behave. Right after lunch, we’re going to a small record store where you will be discussing you music tastes with MTV. It’s all supposed to end at 4, then you’re free for the rest of the day.”

When none of them said anything in response, Simon sighed.

“Did you guys listen to anything I just said ?”

“Interview and photos for Rolling Stones, happy faces, then interview for local newspaper about our first show ever then lunch with the paparazzi.”, Mike laughed. “Finally we’re meeting with someone from MTV for a video interview in a record store.”, he smirked.

Simon rolled his eyes and Harvey chuckled.

“Don’t encourage him.”, the manager said to Harvey with a soft smile.

A photographer and a woman entered the room. She was petite but very elegant, her long brown hair falling in cascade on her shoulders and back.

“I’m Dana Scott, journalist with Rolling Stones magazine.”, she said with a broad smile while shaking Simon’s hand. “And this is Robert Swift, our photographer.”

“Nice to meet you.”, Simon replied. “They’ll be ready in a sec. Guys !”, he called.

Dana Scott took a look around the room and cocked her head with a smile when she saw Harvey.

“Harv !?”, she asked, bewildered.

“Scotty.“, Harvey smiled. “Been a while.”

“What are you doing here ?”, the woman asked, pulling him into a friendly hug.

Harvey raised an eyebrow.

“You came unprepared, very unlike you.”, he smirked.

“What do you mean ?”, she scoffed.

“You’re asking me what I’m doing here so obviously, you haven’t checked on the band’s recent whereabouts.”

“Just spill it, Specter, I don’t have all day. What should I know ?”, Dana asked with an fake-exasperated sigh.

“Mike Ross and I are dating.”, Harvey replied.

She burst out laughing.

“What ?”, she covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh my God, I’m sorry Harvey but this is too good.”

Simon turned around when he heard her laugh but he couldn’t hear them. Harvey shot her a look.

“Oh, come on Specter, don’t give me that look. You’ve got to admit this is pretty funny. The shy pretty lawyer dating a young rising star… What a fairytale !”, she mocked with a kind smile.

“I don’t see what’s funny.”, he replied, looking away.

She pinched his cheek and smiled.

“You seem happy.”, she said.

“I am.”, he replied with a smile.

The bandmates appeared in the living room part of the suite, all dressed up and Simon briefed the photographer.

“Do you want to start with the photos ?”, he asked the journalist.

“They’re ready, so yes, I’ll talk to them afterwards.”, she replied, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

Dana Scott and Harvey had known each other for a long time. She had been his date to the prom and they had been roommates at Harvard, before Dana had dropped out to go to university in Arizona to study journalism. She had fallen in love with Harvey the second they had met and it had been one of the reasons for her moving to Arizona. They had kept in touch ever since. Dana lived in LA but she would call Harvey and have lunch or dinner with him every time she’d go to New York.

“So you work for Rolling Stones now ?”, Harvey asked.

“Sometimes.”, Dana replied. “I’m an independent journalist. I’ve read you’ve made name partner.”, she smiled.

“Yes, a year ago.”, Harvey replied with a tentative smile.

“I’m happy for you. I’ve never known someone who works harder than you.”

“Thanks.”

“So, no more Neal ?”, she asked with a wink.

“No, we broke up earlier this year. He’s been arrested twice recently.”

Dana rolled her eyes and smiled.

“Hollywood should write a movie on this guy.”, she laughed.

“What about you ?”

“Me what ?”

“Are you seeing someone ?”, Harvey asked.

She sighed loudly.

“I’m getting married on Christmas day.”, she replied.

“That’s great, right ?”, Harvey asked with a confused look.

“I guess…”

“You _guess_ ?”, Harvey laughed.

“He’s a great guy. You’d like him, he’s a lawyer like you.”, Dana said. “But I’m not in love with him.”

“Then why are you marrying him ?”

She sighed again.

“Because I want to settle down, I want to have kids and because I can’t spend my life waiting for the one man I love to suddenly turn straight.”

Harvey blushed and looked down.

“I know…”, Dana said with a frustrated laugh. “I’m pathetic.”

“Don’t say that.”, Harvey said. “You’re not.”

“Yes I am, and it’s ok Harvey, I’ve made my peace with it. I’m getting married with a nice man who loves me. You can’t always get what you want, can you ?”, she smiled bitterly.

Harvey pursed his lips and turned his head to where the band was posing for the camera. As Simon had asked them, they were smiling and having fun and sometimes Trevor or Mike would walk to the computer to take a look at the pictures.

Harvey knew Scotty used to be in love with him because she had told him. They had met in college and had become friends. He had told her he was gay the first time she had tried to make a pass at him but they had remained friends and she had often been his cover before he had been ready to come out. The day before leaving for Arizona, she had told him that she was in love with him.

What he didn’t know was that she still was. 20 years after her confession.

 

“Alright guys, we’re done with the pictures, let’s go back to the couches for your interview.”, Simon said in between incessant calls on his cellphone. “There are bottles of water on the counter, help yourself.”

Harvey squeezed Dana’s knee and left the living area to join Simon around the dining table. Dana straightened herself and tapped on the recording app on her phone.

“All set ?”, she asked with a smile when the four bandmates were seated on the couches.

“Yep.”, Trevor replied, removing the cap from a bottle.

“Ok.”, Dana said, clearing her throat. “I have the very latest sales number for your Freedom and other drugs album and I must say it’s pretty impressive.”, she explained. “Your manager told me he hadn’t had the chance to share them with you yet so I’ll give them to you. You have sold 1 536 987 copies of your very first album.”, she smiled broadly.

Jenny’s mouth dropped to the floor and Mike and Trevor gave each other a congratulatory fist bump.

“Compared to other very well-known artists who dropped their album at the same time, it’s unheard of. What do you think about it ?”, Dana asked.

“Well, it’s mind-blowing.”, Trevor replied. “I don’t think we truly understand what those numbers mean and how well-received our work has been so far. We’re still trying to process our first award and that was almost 3 weeks ago.”, he laughed.

“The attention is both scary and humbling.”, Mike said. “We’re very grateful for everything that’s happened this year, it’s more than we could have hoped for, really, but it’s also scary. How you’re suddenly stripped off your identity, how everything you do suddenly becomes more interesting because it’s you when you’re really just doing normal things, you know ?”, he continued. “Simon, our manager, is always telling us to behave and it usually makes us laugh because, like, we’re not kids ! But when you think about it, he’s right. We have to literally behave, probably more than most people, because we’re under so much scrutiny. Everything we do gets shared and judged and we have to be irreproachable.”

“I actually just visited your different Instagram accounts, it’s very nice of you to share all this with your fans, I’m sure they appreciate it a lot.”, Dana said. “But isn’t it a but contradictory with what you just said ? Because most of what is shown on Instagram are personal moments, where paparazzi cannot see you or take pictures and still, you guys choose to share these moments anyway. Knowing, like you said, that’s it’s going to be commented on.”

“The difference between Instagram, or Facebook or Twitter and tabloids and websites is that, like you rightly said, we _choose_ what we want to show, what we want to share. These are not stolen pictures or unflattering pictures or pictures turned into scandal material.”, Mike replied, his eyes looking around the room for Simon’s approval.

He was no stranger to saying things he shouldn’t say and Simon often had to lecture him about his absence of brain-to-mouth filter.

But this time, his manager nodded and smiled.

Dana then asked them about their favorite records from the Rolling Stones Top 500 albums of all times and about their upcoming album.

 

When the interview was over, Dana and Simon agreed on the band having a look on the article before it went to printing.

“Thank you for having us guys.”, she said, putting on her coat.

“Thank _you_.”, Mike replied, shaking her hand.

She turned to Harvey and smiled.

“See you next year ?”, she said, pulling him into a hug.

“Take care.”, Harvey whispered in her ear.

She sighed and smiled before leaving the hotel room.

“You know her ?”, Mike asked.

“Yeah, long story.”, Harvey replied.

“Guys, we’re terribly late to our lunch and the hotel manager needs the suite so hurry up please !”, Simon ordered, while the make-up artist and stylist were quickly removing their stuff from the tables and furniture. "I have rescheduled the interview with the local paper for tomorrow."

“Can I keep the Obama t-shirt please ?”, Tess asked the stylist.

“Sure, keep whatever you want to.”, the middle-aged woman replied. “They’re yours.”

“Oh my God this is so cool !”, Jenny squealed.

“This dress looks really cute on you.”, Trevor smiled.

Jenny blushed and mouthed a thank you.

 

 

They all stepped out of the big black SUV on Rodeo Drive in front of the restaurant 45 minutes later. Indeed there were paps everywhere.

“Mike ! How’s the new album going ?” “Mike, Harvey, is it true that you’re getting married ?”

Mike laughed and grabbed Harvey’s hand.

Simon pushed the paparazzi away and they finally made their way into the crowded restaurant.

“Honestly, why are we eating here ?”, Tess asked once they were seated at their table.

“Because you need to be seen.”, Simon replied. “You’re in LA, people are expecting to see pictures of you in this kind of places.”

Mike rolled his eyes.

“We’re not the Kardashians.”, he said with another eye roll.

“Nope, that’s true.”, Simon laughed. “You’ve got talent.”

“Wait until they learn about Mike’s ballet years !”, Trevor exclaimed.

Harvey raised an amused eyebrow.

“What ? You haven’t shown Harvey ?”, Trevor laughed.

“I haven’t _told_ Harvey.”, Mike replied sharply.

Trevor burst out laughing.

“Come on Trev, stop laughing !”, Jenny ordered, slapping his hand. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of Mikey.”, she said with a smile. “You’re a great danseur.”

“Mike the ballerina.”, Trevor sung.

“Can you really do ballet ?”, Harvey asked, suppressing a laugh.

“Yes.”, Mike replied, visibly embarrassed. “I’ve studied ballet for 10 years.”

Harvey covered his mouth and grinned.

“That’s not funny you guys, I take ballet very seriously.”, Mike complained.

“Trust me Harvey, it _is_ funny.”, Trevor laughed again. “You should see him with his pointe shoes.”

“Trevor.”, Jenny threatened. "Men don't even wear pointe shoes."

“I know.”, Trevor said, throwing his hands up in defeat. “But you have to show Harvey !”, he turned to Harvey. “We’ll show you at the hotel when we get back.”, he whispered with a grin.

Harvey smiled and put a reassuring hand on the small of Mike’s back.

 

 

They ate lunch and drove straight to the small record shop for their last assignment of the day.

Harvey used this time to rummage through the rather nice collection of records.

“Alright guys, you’re free to do whatever you want with the rest of the day as long you’re reachable and you don’t do anything illegal.”, Simon said as they were exiting the shop.

“We need to drop by the hotel because Mike has to show his moves to Harvey.”, Trevor mocked.

“I’m not dancing.”, Mike replied, stepping in the car.

“Yes you are.”, Trevor said. “Seriously, you _need_ to show Harvey.”

“You’re going to make fun of me. Both of you.”, Mike said, pointing at Trevor and Harvey.

“I’m not going to make fun of you.”, Harvey said with a soft smile. “Scout’s honor.”, he added, holding up three fingers.

Mike rolled his eyes and looked outside the window.

“Come on Mikey.”, Trevor said, ruffling Mike’s hair. “Don’t pout. You’re a great dancer, and I’m not even joking, there’s absolutely nothing that you can’t do anyway.”, he scoffed.

“Oh yes there is !”, Jenny laughed. “He has awful taste in fashion !”

Mike rolled his eyes and Harvey could see the corners of his mouth curl up.

“Can you cook ?”, Harvey asked.

“Oh yes he can !”, Tess replied. “He makes the best spaghetti carbonara !”

“Alright then… Can you draw ?”, Harvey asked tentatively.

“I paint.”, Mike replied with a shrug. “I don’t know if it’s any good though.”

“He was headhunted by Toronto’s best art school right before we graduated.”, Jenny explained to Harvey with a sigh.

Harvey smiled proudly and squeezed Mike’s hand.

 

They all took the elevator up to Mike’s suite and settled in the living room area.

“Ok, I’m going to show you.”, Mike said, plugging his iPod speaker. “But if it see even the faintest smile on either one of your faces, I’m leaving the band.”

“Such a drama queen.”, Trevor whispered and rolled his eyes.

“I heard it !”, Mike called from the room where he had just retreated to change into a more dance-appropriate attire.

He reappeared a minute later wearing a tight black t-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants.

“Unfortunately, I didn't bring my pointe shoes.”, Mike said with a mocking smile, selecting a song on his iPod.

Trevor pursed his lips to prevent a smile from forming on them and cleared his throat.

“I swear to God, Trev.”, Mike scolded, his arms folded across his chest.

“Sorry, sorry.”, Trevor apologized and cleared his throat again.

Mike pressed play and walked to the center of the dining room where the table and chairs had been pushed to the side.

He took a deep breath and spread his arms, his legs and feet perfectly aligned. When the music started playing he started to move around the room gracefully, holding pauses and doing pirouettes.

Harvey didn’t feel like laughing anymore. Just like when singing or playing, Mike looked like he was high. Like he was the music, like he was flying around the room. His face was emotionless, his eyes unfocused. Harvey was mesmerized. There were so many things he still didn’t know about Mike, who decidedly never ceased to amaze him.

The music came to a stop and Mike gracefully bowed down before quickly shutting down his iPod.

Jenny and Tess cheered and Harvey shook his head in amazement and clapped.

Mike blushed and bowed down again before burying his face in his hands with embarrassment.

“I didn‘t laugh !”, Trevor smiled. “ Seriously Mike, that was beautiful.”

“Thanks.”, Mike replied with a shy smile.

“What should we do now ?”, Trevor asked.

“I love you guys.”, Mike replied. “But I want to spend time with my super hot boyfriend so everybody out !”, he laughed, sitting on the couch and Harvey hauled him onto his lap with a grin.

“Are we meeting for dinner ?”, Jenny asked.

“I’m having dinner with my Uncle in Beverly Hills.”, Tess replied.

“Harvey and I have plans.”, Mike added.

“Then I guess it’s just the two of us.”, Trevor said with a mischievous smile. “Let’s go spend some of that hard-earned money and then I’m taking out for dinner.”

“Uh, ok.”, Jenny smiled.

Mike winked at her and Trevor, Tess and Jenny left the room.

“There really isn’t anything that you can’t do, is there ?”, Harvey smiled and kissed Mike.

“You liked it ?”

“I’m not really into ballet but it was beautiful.”, Harvey replied, brushing his knuckles against Mike’s cheek. “I love you.”

Mike grinned stupidly and kissed him deeper.

“I love you too.”, he whispered when they finally broke apart to catch their breath.

“What do you want to do ?”

“We should go to the movies. We’ve never been to the movies together.”, Mike replied.

“Ok.”, Harvey smiled. “But how do you plan on going incognito ?”

“I’m not Johnny Depp, I can still catch a movie incognito.”, Mike laughed.


	18. The Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm heading to Brittany for the weekend to visit my Mum and my little sister.  
> Thanks a lot for your greatly appreciated kudos and comments on the last chapter, I hope you like this one too !  
> Warning : angst.  
> xoxo

“The guy playing the cop was _really_ hot.”, Harvey said, as they were exiting the theatre.

“Is that all you remember from the movie ?”, Mike rolled his eyes.

Harvey smiled and grabbed his hand.

“No, that’s not all.”, he replied with a smirk. “I also remember when we kissed before it started.”

Mike smiled and squeezed his hand.

“What should we do now ?”

“I need to make some calls to see if everything’s going alright at the firm. Then, well, it’s a beautiful day and it’s not that late so I’ve got an idea.”

He stopped and looked at Mike. He was about to open his mouth when someone interrupted him.

“Excuse-me, Mike Ross ?”, a young woman asked.

“Yes.”, Mike smiled. “Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Jessa.”, the young woman giggled. “Can I take a picture with you ?”

“Of course.”

“I’ll take it.”, Harvey smiled.

“Thanks Harvey ! Just, um, press here.”, she said.

It took him a couple of seconds to realize how crazy that was that she knew his name. He took the offered phone and waited for them to be ready.

She wrapped her arms around Mike’s chest and Mike put a friendly hand on her shoulder.

“I think it worked.”, Harvey said, handing back the phone.

She checked the screen, tapped it a couple of times and smiled.

“It did.”, she grinned. “Thank you so much you guys !”

And she walked away, her phone already glued to her ear.

“Do you think she’s going to post it on Instagram ?”, Harvey asked.

“We’ll see ! If she tags me, I’ll be able to see it. Tess will explain the tags to you on lesson 3.”, he mocked. “So, tell me about your idea.”

“Right. I thought we could rent a car and go to Long Beach. We could buy dinner and have a picnic on the beach, what do you think ?”

“I’d love that !”, Mike smiled and kissed him.

“Let’s go back to the hotel.”

 

 

The next days passed in a blur, and though the band had daily interviews and photoshoots, Harvey and Mike managed to spend a lot of time together. Some of it documented on the Internet, some of it not. Perez Hilton, notoriously gay blogger, who shipped them obsessively, had dubbed them “Marvey”. Jenny and Trevor had also made the “headlines” after a picture of them kissing in a club had surfaced.

 

“Two more weeks and I’m completely yours until next year.”, Mike smiled against Harvey’s lips in the airport waiting lounge.

“I can’t wait.”, Harvey smiled back.

Christmas was a couple of weeks away and neither of them had spoken about their plans for the special holiday.

“I’ll call you when I land.”, Harvey said, holding on to Mike’s hand for as long as he could before walking to the boarding area.

Mike pouted and watched him go as a feeling of sudden emptiness started to fill his chest.

 

 

Harvey returned to work the next day, a crispy and sunny December Monday.

“Hey boss.”, Donna smiled broadly when he reached her desk. “How’s the pup doing ?”

“Hey.”, Harvey replied, seizing the coffee cup she was handing him. “Thanks. He’s doing good. I’m sure you have followed our adventures on Instagram.”

“Well, not only there…”, she sighed. “Gossip websites are going _crazy_ over you two.”

“I hope they get tired of us soon.”, Harvey sighed as he entered his office.

Donna followed him and closed the door behind her. Harvey gave her questioning look and she sat down on one of the chairs in front of his desk.

“Is there something wrong ?”, he asked worryingly.

Donna took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

“I’m pregnant.”, she blurted out.

“You’re what ?”, Harvey exclaimed.

“I know… I have absolutely no idea how this happened.”, Donna said, looking down.

“I think I know.”, Harvey chuckled nervously.

Donna shot him a look.

“You know what I mean.”, she said, rolling her eyes.

“It it Paul’s ?”

Donna nodded.

“Have you told him ?”

“No.”

“I thought we agreed not to talk about you and Paul.”, Harvey said. “Besides, you’ve only been back together for a month, how is that even possible ?”

“It must have happened the first time we,-“

“TMI.”, Harvey cut her. “Why are you telling me and not him ?”, he asked.

“I don’t know…”, Donna replied, biting her lip. “I don’t even want kids !”

Harvey gave an apologetic shrug and pursed his lips.

“You should tell Paul.”, he said. “And don’t tell him you told me first.”

“I can’t tell him !”, Donna whined. “What if he wants to keep it ? I don’t !”

“Then get an abortion.”, Harvey replied.

“Harvey !”, Donna gasped.

“What ? What do you want me to say Donna ? You don’t want this baby !”

Donna looked at him and got up.

“Donna, what ?”

“I shouldn’t have asked for your opinion. I shouldn’t have told you.”, she said, heading for the door.

“Donna, wait.”, Harvey said, getting up and grabbing her arm. “Look, I’m sorry. It came out wrong. I’m not telling you to get an abortion but you don’t want this baby and you don’t want to tell Paul. What else am I supposed to say ?”

Donna turned around, her eyes filled with tears, and she looked down at Harvey’s hand on her arm.

“Nothing.”, she replied sharply. “It’s ok.”

Harvey sighed and let her go.

His phone vibrated in his pocket.

He took a deep breath and picked up the call.

“Hey Paul.”

“Hey bro.”, Paul replied. “Is Donna there ? She’s not answering her phone.”

“Hum, she is here.”, Harvey replied and looked up to see Donna making a cutthroat gesture. “Though, she’s, uh, not at her desk at the moment. Wanna leave a message ?”

“Harvey.”, Paul said. “What’s going on ?”

“Nothing, why ? What ? Everything’s fine, you ?”, Harvey stuttered.

“Tell her to call me, _when you see her_.”, Paul sighed.

“I will ! Have a great day.”

“Sure, you too.”

He looked at Donna who was rolling her eyes dramatically.

“Can you call Paul when you’re back at your desk ?”, he said, poking his head around his office door.

“Very funny.”, Donna deadpanned. “You’re such a bad actor. Remind me to never tell you any of my secrets.”

“Oh I already know plenty of them.”, Harvey smiled.

He walked to her desk and rested his forearms on the small counter.

“Seriously Donna… You’ve got to tell him.”

Donna stopped typing and exhaled loudly.

“I know.”, she finally said. “I’m just not ready yet.”

“Wanna have a girls night tonight ?”

She smiled knowingly and nodded.

“Great.”, Harvey smiled back. “I’ll take care of the booze.”

Donna cleared her throat.

“What ?”, Harvey asked.

“I can’t drink alcohol.”

“So you want to keep it ?”, he smiled.

“No, but I don’t want to be sick.”

“Oh. That’s right. Well, I’ll take care of the sodas then.”

“Thanks.”, she said.

“Can you call Tom to my office ?”

“Yup.”

 

Harvey reviewed his ongoing cases with Tom who miraculously managed to keep their meeting work-related and never asked any question about Mike. Harvey was satisfied with how things were progressing with his associate. Tom was more independent, clearly quick-minded and he felt he could trust him. But he didn’t tell him. Like Jessica had done with him, he kept pushing him, urging him to always give his very best.

Mike called him from Washington after lunch and they chatted for a bit before Donna warned him that his 2 o’clock meeting was here.

After his client meeting, he went out and bought groceries he had delivered to his place.

 

At 7 pm, he left the firm with Donna, and Ray drove them to his condo.

“I told Paul I was having dinner with a friend.”, she said, kicking off her pumps.

“You’re going to get us both in trouble.”, Harvey sighed. “Remember how it ended up 10 years ago ?”

“I know Harvey, but I’ve been avoiding him for 2 days, what do you think he’d have said if I had told him I was spending the night here ?”

“I don’t know Donna. But it doesn’t feel right. I mean, He's my brother…”, Harvey complained.

“And you’re my best friend.”

Harvey sighed again and walked to his room to get changed.

“I’ll start the cooking !”, Donna called from the kitchen.

“You’ve got to be kidding me !”, Harvey exclaimed from his bedroom. “Donna ! Paul is calling me !”

“So what ?”, Donna replied, washing her hands. “Answer and try not to stutter this time.”

“Do you realize the position you’re putting me in ?!”, Harvey complained. “Hey Paul, what’s up ?” “What ? No, she’s not here ?” “You’re what ?” “Come on Paul, no you-“ “Look, I’m sorry but-“ “Hey ! Don’t yell at me, yell at her !” “Of course you can come up.”

Harvey hung up and walked to the kitchen.

“Paul saw us leaving the firm and followed us here.”, he said. “He’s coming up now.”

“What ?”, Donna squealed.

She closed her eyes and took a long breath. There was a knock on the door.

“Ok.”, she said. “I’m ready to face the wrath.”

“Well, good for you because I’m not.”, Harvey mumbled and walked to the front door.

“What the fuck Harvey ?”, Paul screamed and he shoved Harvey as soon as the door was open.

“Calm down Paul !”, Donna intervened.

“Now you’ve got some nerve telling me to calm down when you practically ignored me for three days and made my brother lie to me _twice_ today !”, Paul shouted, his fists turned into balls, stepping dangerously close to Donna.

“I’m not talking to you if you don’t calm down.”, Donna stated, unimpressed.

“Oh yes you are !”, Paul replied, grabbing her arm and gripping it tight.

Donna remained calm and collected.

“Let go of me.”, she ordered.

“What is going on ?”, Paul asked, letting go of her arm. “What the fuck is going on ?”

“I said calm down.”, Donna repeated.

Paul’s jaw clenched and he turned to Harvey.

“Ok, she won’t talk to me.”, he said menacingly. “But you will, Harvey, because I’m sure you know exactly what’s going on.”, he added, stepping closer to his twin brother.

“Look, Paul, it’s none of my business, I-“

“None of your business ?”, Paul laughed hysterically. “Oh that’s just great ! Then what is Donna doing here ? Why did you fucking lie to me this morning ? Why did you lie to me just now when I asked if she was in there with you ? Uh ? _Why_ ?”

Harvey gulped and looked down. If it was going to turn into a fight, he’d loose. And Paul had so much resentment towards Harvey that he’d probably kill him.

“Why don’t I let you two talk ?”

“Oh no Harv, you’re not getting out of this one. You’re telling me what’s going on and you’re telling me _right now_ !”

“Harvey’s right, we should talk.”, Donna spoke up, gently wrapping a hand around one of Paul’s wrists.

Paul flipped around and his expression automatically softened when he saw her pleading eyes.

“Let’s go sit down.”, she said, dragging him to the living room.

Harvey chose to watch them from a distance, in case he needed to step in. His brother was hot-blooded and he seemed beyond angry. When he was like that, anything could happen.

“You don’t want to sit down ?”, Donna asked.

“No, I’m fine.”

“Ok.”, she sighed, looking away.

“So ?”, Paul asked, folding his arms across his chest. “What’s so important that you had to lie to me and come to my brother ? You wanna break up with me ?”

“No.”

“Then _what_ for fuck’s sake !?”, he yelled, kicking the coffee table, making both Donna and Harvey jump.

“Paul please, sit down.”, she pleaded.

“I’m fine. Speak up.”, Paul said, a little nicer this time. “Can you just go somewhere else Harvey ?”

“I want him to stay.”, Donna replied.

“Of course you do.”, Paul snorted. “There’s a reason why we broke up 10 years ago and it’s right there in this room.”, he said, looking pointedly at Harvey.

“Harvey’s got nothing to do with this, Paul.”, Donna said, getting up from the couch. “He’s my best friend, I just needed to,-“

“To what ?”, Paul cut her. “Share something with him that you don’t wanna share with me ?”, he asked, running both hands in his hair nervously. “Actually, you know what ? I’m gonna go. We both now how this is going to end and I know that if I ask you to choose between Harvey and me you’re gonna choose him, so let’s just cut the crap, call it quits and make it easier for everybody, ok ?”

“Paul, wait ! No, I don’t want that.”

“Well, that’s too bad.”, he sneered, bumping his shoulder against Harvey’s sharply as he passed him by. “Have a great… whatever you were going to have.”, he said, slamming the door shut.

“Don’t.”, Donna snapped, holding up a finger.

“I wasn’t gonna say anything.”, Harvey said.

“Oh yes you were. You were gonna tell me that you warned me that it was going to end badly and that you told me that I should talk to him and not you. I know. I. Know.”, she said and her lips started to tremble.

Harvey pulled her into a hug and she burst into tears.

“I love him, Harvey.”, she sobbed.

 

They didn’t cook, instead they ordered pizzas. Mike called around eleven but he was drunk and kept on laughing so Harvey kindly advised him to go to bed and call him another time.

At 1 in the morning, just as they were about to call it a night, Donna received a text from Paul.

“It’s from Paul.”, she said, showing Harvey the notification on the screen.

“Come on, read it.”

She slid her thumb on the screen and read out loud :

“Sorry about earlier. Harvey’s always going to be an insuperable impediment to our relationship and you can tell him I said that. It’s never going to work and it’s a shame. We could be good together. I wanna know why we broke up again, what made you avoid me and lie to me. Can we meet for lunch tomorrow ? Goodnight.”

“I’m sorry Donna.”, Harvey said, placing a hand on her knee.

“It’s not your fault. It’s mine because I always prioritize you over my relationships and it’s his because he can’t accept that the fact you’re my best friend.”

Harvey sighed and gathered the pizza boxes.

“Maybe we should…”, he paused to think. “Maybe we shouldn’t have that relationship.”

“What do you mean ?”

“I don’t want to ruin your love life and I’ve been an issue too many times already.”, he replied, trashing the boxes.

“Don’t be ridiculous.”, she said. “If you were a girl, none of these men would have had a problem with it. I just need to find someone who can accept that you’re part of the deal, that you’re part of my life.”, she smiled.

“What are you going to do ?”, Harvey asked. “About the baby ?”

“I’m going to tell Paul.”, she said somberly. “And, uh, since it’s over, there’s nothing to discuss, I’m having an abortion.”, she added, the last words barely audible.

Harvey gulped and sat back down on the couch.

“Let’s go to bed.”, he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

 

 

The next morning, Donna and Harvey arrived at work together early, tired from the previous night but mostly fresh because, for once, they hadn’t drunk a single drop of alcohol.

“Do you need me to go over your schedule for the day ?”, she asked.

“I’m fine, thank you.”, he smiled.

“Harvey.”, Louis said, entering his office without knocking.

Donna mouthed a sorry for not having been able to stop him.

“What do you want Louis ?”, Harvey sighed dramatically.

Louis smiled wickedly and handed him a printed piece of paper.

“What is it ?”, Harvey asked, surveying the page.

It was a blog entry from the X17 Website entitled “DID MIKE ROSS CHEAT ON HIS LAWYER BOYFRIEND ? YOU DECIDE !”. The first picture showed a visibly drunk Mike grinning stupidly, his face inches from another young man’s face. The second picture featured Mike cupping the young man’s face with one hand and holding a joint in the other. The third and last picture showed Mike walking hand in hand with the same young man in the streets of Miami where the band was currently doing promo.

Harvey’s heart clenched painfully and it took every ounce of his willpower not to the tear the page apart and call Mike right away.

Underneath the pictures was a poll asking the readers if they thought Mike was cheating on Harvey.

He felt like throwing up. He felt hot and sick.

“Trouble in paradise ?”, Louis asked ironically.

“Just get out, Louis.”, Harvey ordered, trying his best to appear unfazed.

Louis smiled smugly and left his office.

“What is it ?”, Donna hurried in as soon as Louis was out of sight.

Harvey handed her the page, which she scanned rapidly.

“This, uh, this could be anything, Harvey.”, she tried, unconvinced. “I mean, you know how you can make pictures tell whatever story you want them to tell.”

Harvey walked to the window and swallowed thickly.

“Give him a call, Harvey.”, Donna advised softly. “Don’t let it go to your head before you hear his side of the story.”

He nodded, his back still turned and she quietly left his office, making sure to close the door.

He grabbed his phone and dialed Mike’s number.

“Hey baby !”, Mike cheered as he picked up.

Harvey could hear loud music in the background, they were probably rehearsing for a TV show. The lump in his throat thickened at the use of the term of endearment.

“Hey.”, he replied, or rather snapped.

“Is everything alright ? Can I call you back in an hour ? We’re rehearsing for a live show and it’s loud in here.”

“I, uh, I just have one question.”, Harvey said, trying to keep his voice as emotionless as possible. “Who were you with last night ?”

The blank that followed told Harvey what he needed to know so he took a deep breath and said :

“Don’t call me again.”

And he hung up, his hands trembling.

He turned around to face the window again. He could not be seen like this. Not with tears in his eyes and trembling lips. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. And another. And another. He clenched his fists so hard he could feel his fingernails piercing through the skin of the palm of his hands.

His phone rang and he knew who it was so he sent the call directly to voicemail before silencing his phone.

When he turned back around, Donna was standing behind the glass door, a sad look on her face. He looked at her for a moment to show her that he was alright, that Harvey Specter was back and that they could carry on with their day. She was no fool though, she knew his heart was breaking into a million pieces in his chest at that very moment, he just couldn’t show it. She nodded and walked back to her desk.

 

 

“Harvey, wait !”, Mike yelled.

He pressed the call back button on the screen but was sent directly to voicemail.

“Shit !”, he shouted, resisting the urge to throw his phone across the room. “Trevor, give me your iPad !”, he ordered.

“What ?”, Trevor asked.

“Give me your fucking iPad !”

“What’s going on ?”, Trevor asked with a confused look and handed him the tablet.

“What’s the website you’re always checking that has paparazzi pictures ?”, Mike asked, opening the web browser.

“TMZ ?”

“No, the other one.”

“X17 ?”

Mike nodded and typed furiously on the screen. He scrolled down a little bit and saw it.

“DID MIKE ROSS CHEAT ON HIS LAWYER BOYFRIEND ? YOU DECIDE !”

“Son of bitch !”, he yelled.

Trevor took this iPad from his hands.

“Who is this ?”, he asked. “What the hell Mike ? I thought you went back to the hotel after dinner !”

“I couldn’t sleep so I called the driver and I went to a club.”, Mike said through clenched teeth. “Fuck !”

“And you smoked ?”, Trevor asked. “Come on, Mike, you’ve gotta be more careful ! Who is this guy ?”

“I don’t know !”, Mike replied, pacing around the stage. “I don’t even remember leaving the club with him ! Oh my God…”

He sat down and buried his head in his hands.

“Did he come back to the hotel with you ?”, Trevor asked.

“No ! Nothing happened !”, Mike exclaimed, jumping back up. “I mean, I don’t know if he… I don’t know, Trev, I don’t remember but I _know_ I didn’t sleep with him.”

“Well…”, Trevor sighed. “Good luck on explaining that to Harvey. The pictures leave nothing to the imagination. 89% of the voters believe you cheated on him.”

Mike bit his bottom lip and groaned in frustration as he tried to remember what had happened the previous night.

They had had dinner in a nice restaurant by the beach and had come back to the hotel around midnight. He couldn’t sleep so he had called Rick, their on-call driver and he had chauffeured him to Cameo in South Beach. He had drunk shots of various alcohols with a bunch of guys and girls and had shared a bong with a guy. _The guy from the pictures_. He had been nice and a funny, he remembered that. He also remembered Harvey calling him. Or maybe he had called Harvey. He was drunk and Harvey had told him to go to bed. Yeah, he remembered that too.

His chest tightened when he remembered kissing the guy. They had kissed. _Fuck_.

“I need some air.”, he said, leaving the stage.

He dialed Rick’s number.

“Already done with rehearsals ?”, the driver asked when he picked up.

“No, not yet.”, Mike replied. “Rick, did you drive me back to the hotel last night ?”

The driver laughed.

“Yes I did, and I’m not surprised you don’t remember given the state you were in.”

“Was I alone ? In the car ?”

“Yeah, why ?”

Mike exhaled with relief.

“Thank you Rick. I gotta go.”

He closed his eyes and exhaled again. He dialed Harvey’s number.

“You’ve reached Harvey Specter. Leave a message.”

“Harvey, I, uh, we need to talk. Please, call me back.”

Just as he was putting his phone back into his jeans pocket, it rang.

“Hey Donna.”

“Naughty pup.”, she snapped. “Tell me everything. And it better not be what those pictures make it look like.”

“It’s not Donna, I swear !”, Mike exclaimed. “Nothing happened ! I _think_ I remember kissing the guy, but nothing else happened, I swear ! I left the club and my driver just confirmed to me that I was alone in the car when he drove me back to the hotel. I don’t even know the guy’s name Donna. I, uh, _Oh my God_ ! What have I done ?”

“Calm down, Mike.”, Donna said in a soft voice.

“What did Harvey tell you ?”

“Nothing. He just showed me the article. He’s been staring at his computer since he called you.”

“He told me to not call him again.”, Mike said, his breathing becoming labored. “Donna, what have I done ?”

Donna sighed and looked at Harvey through the glass wall. His face was tense, eyes fixed on his computer, lips pursed, nostrils flared.

“Look, I gotta get back to work and I have an important lunch with my ex to mentally prepare for.”, she said.

“Who ? Stephen ?”

“No, Paul. We broke up last night.”

“ _What_ ? Why ?”

“Long story. I’ll tell you some other time.”, she said. “I’ll try to talk to Harvey but I can’t promise you anything…”

“Thank you Donna.”, Mike replied. “Tell him I love him.”

“Bye Puppy.”

 

“I’m suing the fuck out of that Website !”, Mike yelled when he came back inside.

“I’ve just seen the pictures.”, Simon said. “What the hell were you thinking, going out without telling me ? And smoking weed and getting shit drunk, really ? Do you have any idea how it could damage the band’s image ? Mike Ross getting drunk and smoking illegal substances while cheating on his boyfriend ? Jackpot !”

“I didn’t cheat on Harvey, alright ?”, Mike snapped back. “Nothing happened !”

Simon shook his head with a dangerous smile.

“You’re not 15, Mike. I don’t care that you cheated on Harvey ! But you’ve got responsibilities ! There are fans out there who look up to you ! You said it yourself in the Rolling Stones interview !”

“I. didn’t. cheat. on. Harvey.”, Mike repeated, pausing between each word. “And if I wanna get drunk and smoke weed, well, I’ll fucking do it !”

“Calm the hell down, Mike.”, Trevor said, stepping in between Simon and Mike. “And you too Simon. Come on guys, let’s talk quietly.”

“I’m suing the Website.”, Mike said, leaving the stage again.

“Mike, where are you going ? We’re not done here ?”, Simon called.

“ _I_ am.”, Mike replied and walked straight to the door without looking back.

 

 

“Thanks for agreeing to meet with me.”, Paul said when Donna arrived at the restaurant.

He looked tired and remorseful.

“Look, I’m sorry about last night.”, he began to say. “I was a jerk and I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I had planned on waiting for you to leave the firm since you were not returning my calls and… when I saw you leaving with Harvey and going to his place when you had texted me that you were having dinner with your girlfriends, I lost it.”

“I shouldn’t have lied to you.”, Donna said. “I’m sorry. And I’m sorry for ignoring you but… I… I needed time to think.”

“About what ?”

“Paul, I’m pregnant”, she said.

Paul gaped at her.

“Before you say anything, I don’t want this baby.”

Paul gulped and looked away.

“We’ve had that conversation 10 years ago.”, Donna continued. “I told you I didn’t want kids.”

“That was 10 years ago.”, Paul said. “I know you think you’re unfit to be a mother because you were raised by an abusive father and an alcoholic mother but you know that’s not true. You’d make a terrific mother.”

“Paul, please.”, Donna said with a sad smile. “I don’t want to talk about it. You broke up with me and I don’t want kids, it’s not up for discussion anymore. And don’t tell me this changes everything because it doesn’t. Harvey is and always will be my best friend.”

“Wait Donna.”, Paul said, putting his hand on hers. “Can we at least think about it before we make a decision ?”

“There’s no “we” anymore. I’ve already made my decision. I’m getting an abortion.”, she said apologetically.

“It’s not just your decision, Donna.”, Paul pleaded. “It’s my child too.”

“Come on Paul. It’s not even a child yet.”

“Don’t say that Donna.”, he said, wetting his lips. “You know I’ve always dreamed of becoming a dad.”

“I know and I’m sorry.”

“Please Donna. I’ll take care of the baby, I’ll raise him if you don’t want to but please, don’t get an abortion. _Please_.”

When they had been together 10 years ago, Paul had told her how much he wanted to have kids and she knew she was about to shatter his biggest dream. She looked away, unable to face Paul’s pleading eyes. She loved him and probably always would.

“I shouldn’t have told you.”, she said, pursing her lips.

Paul inhaled sharply and got up.

“I, uh… Bye Donna.”, he said and walked away.

 

Harvey was having lunch with Jessica and a client. The man was boring and the food wasn’t excellent. He wasn’t hungry anyway. He kept thinking about the pictures and how Mike had betrayed him. He had been fighting the tears since Louis’ visit this morning and he was relieved when he realized that the sadness was slowly turning into anger. Much more productive.

He checked his phone and saw that he had a received a text from Paul.

“Talk to Donna please. She’ll listen to you. She can’t be getting an abortion. Please.”

Harvey locked his phone and put it back in his pocket.

 

When he got back to his office an hour later, Donna handed him a small stack of messages.

“Mike called you 10 times. He’s suing the website that published the pictures.”

Harvey rolled his eyes.

“For what ?”, he scoffed. “Preventing him from cheating on his boyfriend in peace ?”

“Harvey.”, Donna said with a knowing look. “You should call him back. I talked to him this morning and he said nothing happened.”

“They all say that, Donna. They swear to God, they bring you fake proofs… trust me, I know exactly how he’s going to play this. And there’s no way in hell I’m playing along with him.”

“It’s not always just black or white.”, she said. “Think about it.”

“You’ve got some thinking to do yourself.”, Harvey replied. “Paul texted me.”

Donna looked down.

“Let’s talk about this over dinner.”, he said. “My place or yours ?”

“Another girls night ?”, Donna smiled tentatively. “You do know we will have to talk about you and Mike too, right ?”

“My place or yours ?”

“Mine.”


	19. The Decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a new chapter ! I'm hoping to write another one before the Armistice holiday we have in France and which I'm going to spend on the seaside in Brittany.  
> Hope you enjoy it, please let me know !!!!  
> Thanks a lot for reading  
> xoxo

Harvey and Donna spent the night talking and venting. They came to two conclusions : Donna was going to take her time to think about her decision to abort and Harvey was going to - try to - forget about Mike Ross.

 

The next morning, they arrived at Pearson Specter together, tired and with a heavy heart but decided to not dwell on their current issues.

Donna turned on her computer and took a big gulp of her coffee. She looked at her screen and smiled.

“Harvey.”, she said, running into his office. “With everything that’s been going on lately, we almost forgot your birthday !”, she exclaimed.

Harvey shrugged without looking up from his computer.

“We’ve gotta do something tomorrow night.”, she said, sitting on the couch. “How about… that very fancy restaurant on 5th ?”

“I don’t know Donna…”, Harvey replied. “I don’t really feel like celebrating anything. Besides, 43 isn’t any kind of milestone.”

“Come on, we always go out on your birthday !”, Donna pleaded. “We could use a little cheer up.”

“Fine.”, Harvey rolled his eyes.

Donna smiled and rushed back to her desk when she heard her phone ring.

“Harvey Specter’s office.”

“Donna, it’s Mike.”

“Mike.”, she said, lowering her voice. “What do you want ?”

“Harvey’s not taking my calls. I really need to talk him.”

“I’m sorry Mike.”, she said in a stern voice. “But he doesn’t want to hear from you.”

She heard him sigh.

“Please Donna. I really need to explain to him what really happened.”, he pleaded.

“Look Mike.”, she said. “You betrayed him and now he’s hurting. I can’t help you this time, he doesn’t want to speak to you.”

“I did not betray him Donna ! That’s the whole point ! I need to tell him !”

“Maybe later, Mike. But right now he needs to be left alone.”

There was a moment of silence before Mike spoke again.

“Do you believe me when I say nothing happened, Donna ?”, he asked and she could practically hear the tears rolling down his cheeks.

“I don’t know.”, she replied. “I mean… I saw the pictures… I don’t know Mike. I want to believe you but I don’t know.”

“Ok.”, Mike chocked. “Ok. Thanks for listening to me. Please tell Harvey I love him and that he can call me anytime if he wants to.”

Donna swallowed thickly. She wanted to believe him and she hated to hear him cry.

“I will. Take care Mike.”, she said, hanging up the phone.

She checked her emails and clicked on one of her Mike and The Harmony Google alerts. It led to an article from the Huffington Post about the band’s performance of the previous night. It displayed a picture of Mike holding out his microphone for the audience to sing along. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt on which “I LOVE YOU HARVEY” was painted in black. Clearly home made. _Cute_. She read the article praising their performance. It said that last night’s rendition of Chicago probably was one of the best live performance of the year and that Mike Ross was one of the most talented musician and songwriter and singer of his generation.

Donna put her earbuds on and clicked on the link to the video.

The performance was indeed spectacular and Mike had never sounded so good.

The small article accompanying the video said that “ _Amidst the cheating rumors, TMZ has contacted Simon Brunoy, rep for the 21-year-old singer, who said Mike Ross has no intention of addressing such unfounded rumors and will never do so. Ever since the photos of Mike Ross’ busy Floridian night surfaced, the singer has been seen wearing the same I LOVE YOU HARVEY t-shirt. Is that a message to the media or to his (ex ?) lover ?_ ”

Donna looked up from her computer to take a look at her best friend. He looked tired and sad but had managed to put on his lawyer mask. Nobody but her, and maybe Jessica, could ever tell his heart had been broken. She hated to see him hurt and yet she had witnessed it way too many times. Harvey fell in love easily, he had a tender heart and had always needed affection. Donna had warned him about trusting so quickly, about jumping head first into a relationship. But Harvey was who he was and, though he knew she was right, he couldn’t help himself.

Donna sighed and closed the page.

She had a feeling Mike wasn’t going to give up on trying to reach Harvey and regain his trust but right now, she had work to do and Harvey and her had agreed to not let their problems interfere with work.

 

 

“You’re up in 20 seconds guys.”, Simon whispered to the four bandmates who were sitting on the couch in their suite, ready for a live interview with GMA.

Each of them was wearing an earpiece and they heard a countdown from 5 to 1. A small monitor on the coffee table in front of them displayed the New-York live-stream of the show.

“Hello and welcome to GMA !”, the female host smiled broadly.

“Thanks for having us.”, Trevor replied.

They all waved and smiled.

“So, how’s Miami treating you ?”, the male host asked.

“Pretty good.”, Mike replied. “The weather’s really nice compared to what we’d have in Toronto.”

“I heard you’re coming back to New York for a Christmas show at the Rockefeller Center ?”

“Yes we are.”, Mike smiled. “Christmas is our favorite time of the year.”

“We hope you can drop by our studio, we’d love to have you !”, the woman smiled.

“We’ll se what we can do.”, Trevor laughed. “Our manager has set up our schedule for the next century so I really can’t promise anything.”

They all laughed.

“We’ve read that you and Jenny were together, is that true ?”

Jenny blushed and looked at Trevor.

“Yes it’s true.”, Trevor smiled, taking Jenny’s hand in his.

“You’ve been friends for ages, we actually were wondering when it would happen.”, the host laughed. “What about you Mike ? What’s up with the t-shirt ?”

Mike quickly glanced at Simon, who was typing on his phone. He had asked that Simon insist that they did not bring up the subject.

He gulped discreetly and smiled.

“What ? You don’t like it ?”, he joked.

“Oh yes it’s nice. Very cute gesture.”, the woman smiled. “But you know, we’ve all heard the rumors…”

“Like you just said, _rumors_.”, Mike smiled nervously. “They’re rumors. I have said I would not comment on every stupid thing that’s being written about me, about us, but since you asked.”, he paused. If Harvey didn’t want to talk to him, he might as well use the media to get the message. “Those pictures were taken out of context and I find it disgusting that websites or magazines use them to hurt me or my relationship. That’s why I’m wearing the t-shirt. It’s not supposed to be anyone’s business, but since it’s become a public concern, I wanted to point out that I love Harvey. I hope that puts the rumors to rest because it’s the very last time I’m going to talk about it or about anything regarding my private life.”

“Well, I think you’ve made you point, Mike.”, the host smiled.

The rest of the interview went by quickly, Mike did not say another word, he let Trevor and the girls do the talking.

“Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.”, the woman concluded. “If you haven’t already bought Freedom and Other Drugs, go buy it now, it’s just been reedited with a couple of new songs and remixes.”

Mike took out his earpiece and stormed out of the room.

“Mike wait !”, Simon called, running after him.

“You said they wouldn’t ask !”, Mike yelled.

“I’m sorry Mike, they promised but when it’s live, you never know. I didn’t think a show like GMA would stoop this low. I guess I was wrong. But your answer was perfect.”

Mike shrugged and stepped out of the hotel into the private pool area.

He took a picture of the deserted pool and posted it on Instagram. He resisted the urge to call Harvey and instead settled for a simple “I miss you” text, knowing it would remain unanswered.

 

 

Donna took a deep breath and wiped her mouth with toilet paper. She was kneeling in front of the toilet bowl for the second time since she had arrived at work. She cursed under her breath and flushed the toilet.

She wobbled out of the stall and looked at her reflection in the mirror. It was real. Realer than the positive pregnancy test. Realer than the hope in Paul’s eyes. She was carrying a baby and she couldn’t deny it, she couldn’t put it aside. She had decided to wait a little bit longer before making a decision but she realized that she couldn’t just _wait_. She had to decide. Now.

“Everything alright ?”

Donna jumped.

“Yes, I’m ok.”, she smiled.

Rachel was looking at her with concern.

“Are you sure ? You don’t look so well.”

Donna closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“I’m pregnant Rachel.”, she whispered.

Rachel grinned and pulled her into a hug.

“Oh my God, that’s wonderful !”, she exclaimed. “Wait.”, she said, taking a step back. “You don’t look happy about it.”

“I don’t know.”, Donna replied, looking down.

“Is it Paul’s ?”

“Yes. I… I’m not ready for it and Paul broke up with me, it’s not the right time.”

“He broke up with you ?”, Rachel gasped.

“Yeah… long story short he doesn’t approve of my relationship with his brother.”

“Does he know about… this ?”, Rachel gestured towards Donna’s belly.

“Yes. He wants this baby.”

“You know, Donna.”, Rachel said, washing her hands. “It’s not meant to be rude but I think this is perfect timing. You’re 43, it’s basically now or never.”

Donna scoffed.

“Thank you !”, she smiled. “But I’m not even sure I want to be a Mum. I think I don’t want to. I’m not meant to be a Mum. I’ve always hated mine and…”

“You’re not your Mum, Donna.”, Rachel said, taking Donna’s hands in hers. “You’d be a terrific mother. And your genes and Paul’s combined ? Well, let me tell you this is going to be one gorgeous kid.”

Donna smiled and looked away.

“It may not seem perfect right now Donna, but things can change in 9 months and a kid just needs to be loved and supported. Not perfect conditions.”, Rachel added. “Think about it.”

“I am.”, Donna replied, rolling her eyes. “And even if I didn’t want to, I’ve been throwing up all morning, there’s no way I’m not constantly thinking about it.”

Rachel smiled broadly.

“Oh my God.”, she said. “I can _totally_ picture you with a bump ! You’re gonna be so gorgeous !”, she beamed.

“We’re not there yet.”, Donna said, straightening her dress, her hands lingering a bit at her midsection. “Thanks for listening to me.”, she smiled at Rachel.

“Anytime.”, Rachel smiled before quietly leaving the bathroom.

 

 

Harvey checked his phone before entering the conference room where he and Jessica were meeting with a client.

“I miss you.”

He deleted the text and put the phone back in breast pocket.

He missed Mike too. Even more than he’d have expected. More than he had ever missed anyone. His heart constricted in his chest at the thought and he cleared his throat.

“Good morning Mr. Archmore.”, he smiled and handed out his hand.

 

 

“Hey everybody ! We’re leaving Miami for Atlanta tonight. It was our very first time in Florida and we loved it. I’m with Trevor, he’s gonna help with this new cover.”, Mike moved the camera around and Trevor waved and smiled. “Ok, so this is a song by Ashlee Simpson and it’s called [Undiscovered](http://youtu.be/aubT3QRubXg).”, he settled on the couch next to Trevor and put the camera down on the coffee table.

_Touch me now how I wanna feel_  
 _Something so real, please remind me_  
 _My love, and take me back_  
 _Cause I'm so in love with what we were_  
 _I'm not breathing I'm suffocating without you_  
 _Do you feel it too?_  
  
 _All the things left undiscovered_  
 _Leave me waiting and left to wonder_  
 _I need you_  
  
 _When I'm in the dark and all alone_  
 _Dreaming that you'll walk right through my door,_  
 _It’s then I know my heart is whole_  
 _There's a million reasons why I cry_  
 _Hold my covers tight and close my eyes_  
 _Cause I don't wanna be alone_

_Cause I can't fake and I can't hate_  
 _But it's my heart that’s about to break_  
 _You're all I need_  
 _I'm on my knees_  
 _Watch me bleed_  
 _Would you listen please_  
 _I give in_  
 _I breathe out_  
 _I want you, there’s no doubt_  
 _I freak out, I'm left out_  
 _Without you, I'm without_  
 _I'm crossed out_  
 _I'm kicked out_  
 _I cry out_  
 _I reach out_  
 _Don't walk away_

Mike swallowed thickly when Trevor hit the last chords and smiled at the camera.

“Hope you liked it ! If there are songs you’d like us to cover, leave it in the comments ! Thanks a lot for watching.”

“Do you think he watches our Youtube videos ?”, Trevor asked.

“I don’t know.”, Mike sighed.

“He still isn’t taking your calls ?”

“No. I talked to his best friend Donna, you’ve met her at the VMA. She asked me to leave him alone.”

Tears started to pool in his eyes and Trevor patted his back apologetically.

“Wanna get drunk tonight when we get to Atlanta ?”, he asked.

“In our hotel room then.”, Mike remarked. “I’m never going out for drinks again.”

“Hey you’re single now.”, Trevor said, putting his guitar back into its case. “You can go out and mingle.”

“I’m not single !”, Mike snapped.

“Mike, he broke up with you.”

“He did not ! He told me to not call him again.”

Trevor sighed and left the room.

“You’ve reached Harvey Specter. Leave a message.”

“Harvey.”, Mike sobbed. “Call me please please please please please. I need to talk to you. _Please_.”

 

 

For once in two days, Harvey didn’t automatically delete Mike’s message when it appeared in his voicemails list later that day. He actually listened to it. And of course, right after he did, he remembered why he normally didn’t. Mike sounded so sad and desperate that it made Harvey’s heart break all over again.

He walked to the window in his office and braced himself before pressing the call back button on the screen.

Mike picked up on the first ring.

“Harvey !”, he practically screamed. “Oh my God, thank you so much for calling me back !”

“Mike.”, Harvey said, trying to sound composed. “What do you want to talk about ?”

“I, I… I’m sorry Harvey.”, Mike said. “Nothing happened that night, I swear. I would never do that to you knowing what you’ve been through in the past.”, he marked a pause to catch his breath. “I love you Harvey, I don’t want anyone but _you_.”

There was a moment of silence.

“Say something please.”, Mike sobbed.

Harvey took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

“You have no idea how many times I’ve heard the exact same words.”, he replied sharply. “Why should I believe you ?”

“I love you Harvey. I miss you.”, Mike cried. “I’m so sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry Harvey…”

Harvey’s heart tightened in his chest and he inhaled deeply.

“Why are you sorry if you didn’t do anything ?”, he asked, his voice now softer than he would have wanted too.

“Because you think I did something and it hurt you and I don’t want you to hurt !’, Mike cried. “I went to that club, I got drunk and I smoked pot and there was this guy… I, I _swear_ I went back to the hotel alone, Rick, out driver, he confirmed it ! I shouldn’t have… I shouldn’t have gotten drunk, I know that and, and… Simon is pissed at me because I got stoned and I…”, he stuttered. “I kissed him… that’s about all I remember, I-“

“You _kissed_ _him_ ?”, Harvey asked through clenched teeth.

“I, it didn’t mean anything Harvey ! I don’t know why I did it. I… I missed you and… I miss you now Harvey, please !”

“Please what Mike ?”, Harvey snapped. He wasn’t feeling sad anymore, he was angry. “You _kissed him_ ?”, he repeated, more to himself than to Mike.

“Nothing more happened and I’m never going out on my own again. I’m so sorry Harvey...!”

Harvey gulped and pinched the bridge of his nose with his middle finger and thumb in exasperation.

“Look, Mike.”, he said. “It’s not going to work. You’re young and obviously, you’re not ready to settle down. You’re travelling and meeting people, you, um, you need to be able to enjoy that. Let’s just…”, he took a deep breath. “Let’s just, um, call it quits.”

“No, no, no please Harvey !”, Mike shouted. “ _No_ ! I want you and only you. I don’t… I don’t care about the freaking band and I, no Harvey ! _Oh my God_ , it can’t be happening !”, he chocked on his tears. “None of this makes any sense without you anyway. I’m gonna leave the band, _Harvey_ , I don’t want this with… without y… you. Harvey… _I love you_ , I can’t lose you… I don’t… I… Oh God… Harv…”

Harvey heard Mike’s phone fall to the floor with a thump.

“Mike !”, he yelled. “Mike !”

Donna entered his office when she heard him scream.

“What’s going on ?”, she asked with a worried look.

“We were talking and then I heard his phone fall to the floor.”, Harvey replied. “Mike !”, he called back. “Do you have Trevor’s number or Jenny’s ?”, he asked to Donna.

“I have Simon’s I think.”, she replied, already tapping on her phone. “He gave it to me before the VMA.”

She pressed the call button and handed her phone to Harvey.

“Hey Donna.”, Simon cheered when he picked up.

“Simon, it’s Harvey.”

“Oh hey Harvey ! Everything alright ?”

“Yes, well no, I was on the phone with Mike and… We were having an argument and I don’t know if he’s alright. He dropped his phone, could you check if he’s ok ?”

“Already on my way to his room, hold on.”, Simon replied and Harvey heard him knock on a door moments later.

“Mike ? It’s Simon, can I come in ?”

“Mike ?”, Simon called again. “Ok, I’m going in.”, he told Harvey.

Harvey heard him open the door and enter Mike’s room.

“Mike ?”

Moments later, Simon finally spoke again.

“He’s not in his room.”, he sighed. “I’ve got his phone. Apparently he’s taken his wallet and a some clothes.”

“Shit !”, Harvey snapped. “I’m coming over.”

“No Harvey.”, Simon replied. “He’s probably on his way to the airport to catch a flight for New York. He’s coming to you.”

“How do you know ? He could have gone anywhere.”, Harvey argued. “He was crying and talking nonsense, said he wanted to quit the band…You should really go look for him.”

“Alright, but you wait for him there. He’s buying a ticket to New York as we speak, I’d bet my bottom dollar on it.”

“Fine.”, Harvey agreed reluctantly. “Call me when there’s news.”

“So ?”, Donna asked when he hung up.

“He says Mike’s coming to New York.”

“What did you say to Mike ?”

“I’m going to the airport. Can you have Ray pick me up ?”, Harvey asked, ignoring Donna's question and grabbing his wallet.

“Wait.”, Donna said, holding up a hand. “Let me check the flight schedules first.”

Harvey followed her to her desk.

“Ok.”, she whispered. “The next flight for New York is in 55 minutes so Mike’s not going to land before 10 pm.”, she announced. “ _If_ he’s coming here at all.”

“Ok, I’m heading home to get changed. Call me if anything comes up.”

“Sure.”

 

 

Mike stepped out of the cab and handed the driver a couple of twenty-dollar bills.

He had put on a winter jacket and a Toronto Raptors cap, hoping to go unnoticed. He quickly made his way inside the terminal and walked to the nearest counter.

“Good evening Sir.”, a woman greeted him and she smiled knowingly. “How can I help you ?”

“Good evening.”, Mike replied. “I’d like a ticket for the next flight to New York please.”

“First class I guess ?”, she asked with a wink.

“If possible, yes please.”

She checked on her computer.

“I’ve got a first class seat available on a plane leaving in 45 minutes, you’ll have to run to the boarding gate.”

“Yes, ok. Just give me the ticket please.”, Mike smiled politely.

“Can I have your ID ?”

Mike fumbled inside his wallet and took out his ID and credit card.

She typed on her keyboard for a minute, while Mike drummed his fingers on the counter in frustration and she finally handed the ID back to him. She swiped the credit card and Mike signed the receipt.

“There you go. Boarding gate D-18”, she said, grabbing the ticket from the printer and putting it on the counter. “Have a safe flight.”

“Thanks.”, Mike replied and ran away.

 

 

“Simon, any news ?”, Harvey asked, stepping in his car.

“Mike is coming to New York. I just read it online, someone tipped off the paparazzi agencies.”, Simon sighed. “There are going to be lots of them at the airport Harvey.”

“Ok, thanks for warning me.”, Harvey replied, buckling up. “I’ll call you when he’s with me.”

He hung up and started the engine.

He drove as quickly as he could through the still crowded New York streets.

When he arrived at the airport, he immediately noticed the paparazzi waiting at the doors and inside the terminal.

He adjusted his scarf around his neck, making sure it covered his chin and he put his hands in his overcoat pockets before walking inside the terminal with his head down.

The flight information screen indicated that Mike’s plane had just landed so Harvey ran to the announced arrival area.

There were three or four paparazzi leaning against the wall opposite to the automatic doors and Harvey settled next to a family and turned his back to them.

The automatic doors opened and people started coming out. Harvey still didn’t see Mike but he heard the familiar snapping sound.

“Mike !” “Mike !” the photographers shouted as they stepped closer the doors.

And Harvey saw him. He looked upset and was trying to cover his face with his duffle bag.

“Get out of my fucking face !”, he yelled.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Harvey. His face relaxed and his eyes welled up with tears.

“You came.”, Harvey read on his lips.

He nodded and smiled.

Following Mike’s gaze, the paparazzi turned around and started snapping pictures.

“Harvey ! Over here ! Harvey !”, they shouted.

Mike walked up to him and Harvey grabbed his hand.

“Come on, let’s go.”, he said, dragging Mike out of the terminal.

They very quickly stepped out of the building and in the car and they left the airport car park.

Harvey kept his eyes fixed on the road while Mike was fidgeting on his seat, his eyes jumping from the road to Harvey and back to the road again.

“Calm down.”, Harvey said, gently putting a hand on Mike’s thigh.

Mike nodded nervously as tears rolled down his cheeks.

They drove back to Harvey’s without exchanging a word, the heavy silence only broken by Mike’s quiet sobs.

Harvey was relieved to find the sidewalk leading to his building free of paparazzi. He politely saluted the night concierge and they quietly rode the elevator up to Harvey’s condo.

“Harvey.”, Mike was the first to break the ice when they had both entered the warm apartment.

“I need to call Simon, let him know you’re here, ok ?”, Harvey said with a smile. “Help yourself in the kitchen if you want a drink, I’ll be right back.”

Mike took off his coat and kicked off his shoes. He felt restless and anxious and Harvey hadn’t said a word and Mike wondered why exactly he had come to pick him up at the airport. And why he was here. He had decided to fly to New York to see Harvey but he hadn’t expected to see him at the airport. He hadn’t expected Harvey to even _want_ to see him at all.

He opened the fridge and grabbed a beer with trembling hands. He could hear Harvey talking on the phone in another room.

He stepped out on the balcony and closed the sliding door behind him. The cold made him shiver but also helped him relax a little bit. He settled on one of the chairs and started singing. It always helped him ease the pressure and regulate his breathing. He closed his eyes, put his hands on the damp table and began playing on an invisible piano.

A couple of minutes later, he was so absorbed in his “performance” that he didn’t hear the sliding door open.

He jumped when Harvey draped a coat over his shoulders.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”, Harvey smiled apologetically.

“It’s ok.”, Mike replied, sliding his arms in the sleeves. “Thanks.”

“Do you feel better ?”, Harvey asked, walking to the handrail.

He was wearing a coat and holding a tumbler of scotch.

“A little bit.”, Mike smiled weakly.

“Simon is freaking out.”, Harvey stated. “He told me you were supposed to fly to Atlanta tonight. You have a full day of promotion planned for tomorrow.”

“I don’t care.”, Mike mumbled.

Harvey pursed his lips and sat down on a chair opposite to Mike.

“You have a contract with your record company.”, he explained. “You cannot just disappear or refuse to show up.”

“They can sue me.”, Mike snapped. “I’m not going back there.”

“Mike.”

“I don’t care Harvey.”, Mike repeated, getting up from his chair. “I told you. I don’t want any of it if I don’t have you.”

Harvey sighed and finished his glass.

“Go get some sleep.”, he said. “Simon has cancelled your trip to Atlanta, citing family emergency, but he expects you to show up for the Christmas show on Friday.”

Mike shrugged and stepped back inside the condo.

Harvey watched him lie down on the couch, curled up on his side, his knees tucked, using his coat as a blanket.

Harvey sighed and grabbed Mike’s abandoned beer bottle, which he emptied into the sink and trashed. He switched off the lights in the living room.

“Good night, Mike.”, he whispered, glancing at the couch one last time before retreating to his bedroom.

He stripped down to his boxers and dialed Donna’s number.

“How’s the puppy ?”

“He’s sleeping on the couch.”, Harvey sighed loudly.

“How are you ?’

“Tired and confused. You ?”

“Do you think Paul would kill me if I chose you as the baby’s godfather ?”, Donna asked teasingly.

“You’re keeping the baby ?”, Harvey grinned.

“Yes.”, she replied.

“Have you told Paul ?”

“Not yet.”

“Come on, Donna…”, Harvey complained and yawned.

“I know. I was about to call him when you called.”

“Sure.”, Harvey rolled his eyes. “You’re going to break the news over the phone ?”

“No. Of course not.”, Donna deadpanned. “I’m gonna ask him to meet me for lunch tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, are you staying in with the puppy ? Do you need me to reschedule your appointments ?”

“Yes please.”, Harvey replied gratefully. “You’re the best. And I’m really happy for you. And Paul.”

“Thanks.”, Donna replied and Harvey could almost hear the grin forming on her face. “Good night.”

“Good night Donna.”

 

Mike woke up in the middle of the night, cold and thirsty. The condo was dark and the clock on the wall told him it was 10 past 2. He put his coat on and went to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water.

Glass in hand, he walked to Harvey’s bedroom. The door was ajar and he could see that the lights were still on so Mike knocked softly. When he didn’t hear any response except for a rather loud snore, he carefully opened the door and quietly stepped in the room. Harvey was lying on his back above the cover, wearing only a pair of burgundy boxers. On the bed right next to his pillow were his phone and an iPad connected to a pair of earbuds.

Mike walked around the bed to the empty side and sat down on the edge. He grabbed the iPad and unlocked it. The YouTube app automatically opened and Mike’s page came up on the screen.

He looked at Harvey and tears started filling his eyes again. Crying seemed to be the only stable thing in his life right now.

Wiping his eyes with his coat sleeve, he put the iPad and phone away on the bedside table. He grabbed the comforter and draped it over Harvey, then he turned off the lights and laid down on his side.

Harvey was only a couple of inches away and he desperately wanted to reach out and touch him, to bury his face in the warm patch of skin of his neck, to kiss him, to see his smile and hear his laugh.

Mike let out a small whimper, which caused Harvey to stop snoring and turn on his side. Mike stilled and held his breath. It was too dark, he couldn’t see if Harvey had woken.

“Mike ?”, a very small and hoarse voice suddenly asked.

“Sorry I woke you up.”, Mike apologized.

Harvey sat up and turned on the lights.

“Are you alright ?”, Harvey asked and then cleared his throat.

“Yes. I was cold and thirsty and I saw the lights coming from your bedroom so I, uh,-“

“It’s ok.”, Harvey smiled softly. “All set now ?”

Mike nodded and Harvey turned off the lights.

“Come here.”, he whispered, his fingers lazily stroking Mike’s hair.

Mike’s heart skipped a beat and he moved closer to Harvey. He wrapped an arm around him and buried his face in the crook of Harvey’s neck, inhaling deeply. “I love you.”, he mouthed against Harvey’s collarbones.


	20. The Treasure Hunt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay ! I managed to finish another (long) chapter before taking a little vacation !   
> I hope you like it !!   
> A huge thanks to everyone who reads my story and a special thanks to my loyal Icis and Liz.  
> xoxo

The home phone rang loudly in the quiet condo the next morning. Mike untangled himself from Harvey’s arms and sat up on the bed. He stretched loudly and smiled when Harvey whined and curled up and pulled the comforter over his head.

“Do you want me to go pick up ?”, Mike asked in a yawn.

“Mmm.”

Mike rolled his eyes and stumbled out of the bed. The phone was still ringing when he reached the living room. The clock indicated 11 : 25.

“Harvey Specter’s home.”

“Mike ?”

“Hum yes, who is it ?”

“Helena.”

“Oh hi !”, Mike cheered. “How are you ?”

“I’m fine, thank you.”, Helena replied. “You ? Did I wake you up ?”

“Yes but it’s ok, don’t worry.”

“I called Harvey’s office and Donna told me Harvey had taken the day off for his birthday.”, Helena explained.

“His birth-”, Mike repeated. “I didn’t know…”, he sighed.

“Well, now you know.”, Helena laughed.

“Hold on a second, I’m gonna get him.”, Mike said, walking to the bedroom.

Harvey had slid under the sheets and had visibly fallen back to sleep, if the soft snore emanating from his curled up body was any indication. Mike sat down on the bed.

“Harvey.”, he whispered, running a gentle hand through Harvey’s hair. “Your Mum’s on the phone.”

“Mmm.”, Harvey mumbled, holding out a hand for the phone.

Mike smiled and put it in his hand. Harvey rolled over and cleared his throat without opening his eyes then put the phone to his good ear.

“Hey Mum.”, he rasped. “No I’m ok, I was just tired.” “Thank you.” “No I’m not…” “Yeah I’m fine, don’t worry. How are you ?” “I guess we could. I’ll ask him.”, he yawned and finally opened his eyes. “I think he’s not.” “Ok, let me call you back later when I’m actually awake, ok ?”, he yawned, rubbing his eyes. “Me too, bye Mum”.

“Happy birthday.”, Mike said with an apologetic smile.

Harvey smiled weakly and nodded.

“Thank you.”, he said. “When’s yours ?”

“May 9th.”

Harvey entered it in his phone calendar and smiled.

“Mum invited us for lunch.”, he said. “Do you want to go ?”

“Uh, yes, sure.”

“You don’t have to. I can go alone.”, Harvey said, pushing his hearing aid into his ear.

“No it’s ok, I’ll be happy to see her.”

“Ok then.”, Harvey stated looking at the time on his phone. “We better start getting ready.”

 

 

“Thanks for coming.”, Donna said with a smile when Paul arrived in front of the restaurant. “Happy birthday.”

“Thanks.”, Paul smiled nervously and opened the door for her.

The waiter showed them to their table and Donna gracefully sat down while Paul tool off his jacket and bulletproof vest, revealing a tight long-sleeved black t-shirt.

“Do you really have to wear your armor at all times ?”, Donna joked.

“No.”, Paul replied with a smile. “But I was late and didn’t have time to go back to the station after our training session. Sorry.”, he blushed.

Harvey and his brother looked exactly alike, they shared the same facial expressions and the exact same voice. But contrary to Harvey, Paul barely ever blushed or showed embarrassment. He was confident and cocky when Harvey was shy and humble. Donna took a mental picture of her baby daddy blushing.

“It’s ok.”, she smiled. “There wasn’t a specific dress code.”

She fumbled around in her purse and took out a small wrapped box.

“I got you a little something.”, she smiled.

Paul raised an eyebrow and unwrapped the box with shaky hands. He opened it and caught his breath.

“Does that mean that… are they for… ?”, he stuttered, overwhelmed by the sudden realization.

Inside the box was a pair of teeny tiny crochet wool slippers and a card that read “Happy Birthday. xoxo”

“I want to have this baby.”, Donna said, a expectant smile on her face.

She wasn’t sure what was going on in Paul’s head. He wasn’t smiling nor showing disappointment either, he looked lost, his eyes fixed on the content of the small box.

“What do you say ?”, Donna asked hesitantly after a long moment of awkward silence.

Paul finally lifted his head up and grinned, making Donna’s heart melt instantly.

“I say we’re gonna have a _babyyyyyyy_ !”, he yelled, jumping up from his seat and jogging around the table to throw her arms around her.

Everybody in the restaurant started clapping and whistling.

Donna laughed and got up to properly hug him.

“This is the best birthday present ever.”, he whispered in her ear. “Thank you so much.”

 

 

“Are you okay ?”, Harvey asked, stopping the car at a red light.

“Yes.”, Mike replied with a weak smile.

They had taken turns to shower and dress and had barely exchanged a word. Now they were driving to Queens to have lunch with Helena. Mike couldn’t help but wonder if that meant anything, if Harvey still wanted to break up with him. Harvey had been understanding and gentle, they even had slept in each other’s arms, but they hadn’t kissed and Harvey hadn’t been affectionate since they had woken up.

“Is Paul also coming over ?”, Mike changed the subject, hoping to ease the atmosphere.

“No, he’s having lunch with Donna.”

“Are they back together ?”

“I don’t know. But um, Donna had something important to tell him.”, Harvey replied.

“You can’t tell me ?”, Mike asked.

Harvey seemed to consider if he could tell him and finally turned his head and smiled broadly.

“They’re going to have a baby.”, he said.

“What ?”, Mike laughed at the surprise revelation. “Oh my God ! That’s awesome !”

Harvey kept his eyes on the road but he smiled and nodded.

“Don’t tell my Mum, though. I’m not sure they want to announce it yet.”, he said. “And Paul’s already mad at me for having been the first to know.”

Harvey parked the car in front of the house and they quietly walked to the door.

“Happy birthday sweetheart.”, Helena said when she opened the front door.

She pulled Harvey into a hug and smiled at Mike.

“I saw you on GMA yesterday.”, she winked.

“Not my finest hour…”, Mike blushed.

Harvey looked at them questioningly and took off his coat.

“Take a seat around the table.”, Helena ordered before disappearing in the kitchen.

They both sat down and she came back with a bottle of wine and a corkscrew, which she handed to Harvey.

“So ?”, she smiled. “How have you both been ?”

“Good.”, Harvey replied absentmindedly while opening the bottle. “You ?”

“The house is up for sale.”, she replied. “I wanted to tell you before putting up the sign.”

Harvey pursed his lips and poured them each a glass of wine.

“How was Miami Mike ? Harvey told you I plan on moving to Florida, right ?”

“Yes, he did.”, Mike smiled awkwardly. “Miami was nice.”

Helena looked at them with a raised eyebrow, immediately regretting having brought up the Miami subject. They were both looking down and Harvey was chewing the inside of his cheek.

“Bon appétit.”, she said.

Harvey smiled at her and they ate in relative silence, Mike occasionally commenting on Helena’s cooking talents.

“Come help me in the kitchen, sweetheart.”, Helena said, gathering their empty plates.

Harvey got up and followed her to the adjacent room.

“What’s going on with you and Mike ?”, she whispered.

“Nothing, Mum, everything’s fine.”, Harvey replied in an stern voice.

“I know what he did.”, she said, brushing down her son’s forearm. “I’ve seen it on TV so I checked on the Internet.”

“No one knows what he did except from Mike himself.”, Harvey said. “And don’t read the bullshit they write on the Internet.”

“Language.”, she threatened with a soft smile. “What did he tell you ?”

“I don’t want to talk about it now Mum.”, Harvey replied.

“Did you talk two about it ?”

“No. There’s nothing to talk about. He did what he did and that’s it.”

“That’s it what ? You just said nobody knew what he did but himself.”

“As far as I’m concerned, we’re done.”

“Then why is he here ?”, she asked pointedly, arms folded across her chest.

“Because you invited us.”

“Harvey.”, she said. “Talk to him.”

Harvey rolled his eyes and grabbed the dessert plates.

Helena studied him for a moment before opening the fridge to get a cake.

“Time.”, she whispered, heading back to the dining room. “Give it time before you throw it all away, sweetheart.”

 

 

“We should talk about us.” Donna said, cutting a piece of steak. “I don’t want answers today but I want to know how we’re gonna do this.”

Paul nodded.

“Having a baby doesn’t require that we live together but maybe we could rent apartments on the same floor or something ?”, she added with a tentative smile.

“Donna.”, Paul said, placing his hand on hers. “The baby changes everything. Again, I’m sorry about the other night and how reacted. I want us to be together.”

Donna snorted.

“That’s exactly what I didn’t want you to say. I don’t want you to stay because of the baby.”, she replied defensively. “You broke up with me and that’s fine. I mean, it’s hard but I can live with that. The baby shouldn’t be the reason for a change of heart. It’s the worst thing we could do.”

“I mean it, Donna.”, Paul said in a serious voice. “I want to be with you. I’ve always wanted to be with you. Baby or not.”

“I’m always going to be friends with Harvey and he’s always going to be my confidant.”

“I know.”, Paul said, looking away. “And I have thought about it in the last few days.”

He paused and looked at her seriously.

“I love you Donna.”, he said. “I want to be with you. And don’t say that the baby shouldn’t change anything because first it obviously does and second I don’t love you because of the baby. I love you because you’re you. I loved you on Monday before you broke the news and I still loved you after I told you we were done.”

Donna blushed and looked down.

“I have to find a way to accept that my brother is your best friend and that he’s always going to come first.”, he said and sighed.

“He doesn’t come first.”, Donna said. “He’s my best friend and we share everything. That’s what best friends do. I tell him when something cool or sad happens to me and he does the same and we tell each other secrets, we share the juicy details of our love lives.”, she explained. “He just happens to be your twin brother. He doesn’t come first, we’re just really really close.”

“I know.”, Paul said bitterly. “Closer than you’ll ever be with me.”

“It’s different. It’s not the same kind of love. I love Harvey like I’d love a brother.”

“And how do you love me ?”, Paul asked with a small smile.

Donna smirked and leaned forward to kiss him.

“Don’t forget that it’s Harvey who introduced us to each other.”, she added, grabbing her fork.

 

 

“Bye Mum, and thank you for lunch.”, Harvey said, hugging Helena.

“You’re welcome sweetheart.”, she replied, stroking his cheek. “Bye Mike. It was nice seeing you.”

“Likewise Helena. Thank you for the delicious meal.”, Mike smiled and hugged her.

 

Harvey’s phone rang when they were parking at his place. Again, the ride back to his condo had been silent and Harvey looked tense.

“Hey Neal.”, he answered. “Thank you.” “I know, don’t remind me. I’ll be retiring before you know it.”, he laughed. “Nothing special, I just had lunch with my Mum.” “Yes, she’s better, thank you. She’s a survivor.” “Tonight ? I was supposed to have dinner with Donna but something came up and I have a feeling she’s going to cancel on me.”, he smiled. “Why not ?” “Not that place, I hate that place.” “Ok.” “8 ?” “Alright, see you tonight. Bye.”

Mike’s heart sunk in his chest and he bit the inside of his cheek hard to stop the tears from filling his eyes. Harvey was going to spend his birthday with his ex.

He followed Harvey up to the lobby while a lump formed in his throat. He had screwed up. He had fucked everything up.

“Why did you come to the airport yesterday ?”, he asked when they entered the apartment.

Harvey took off his coat and sat down to untie his shoes.

“I didn’t want you to do anything stupid.”, he replied without looking at Mike. “You sounded so desperate, I was worried about you.”

Mike gulped and couldn’t contain his tears anymore.

“Why did you…”, he cried. “Why did you take me in your arms when I came to your room last night ?”

Harvey sighed and closed his eyes.

“Because I felt like you needed it.”, he replied sharply. “You were tired and stressed and… I took care of you. As a friend.”

“A fr-“, Mike began to say but he didn’t finish his sentence.

He put his coat back on and grabbed his duffle bag.

He opened his mouth to speak and closed it again.

“Bye Harvey.”, he managed to whisper before practically running out of the condo.

Harvey sighed and took his head in his hands. Tears soon started falling down on the hardwood floor between his feet. Mike wasn’t and could never be just a friend. He loved him and right now, he still couldn’t imagine his life without the young man. A life without hearing his voice or seeing his shining blue eyes seemed impossible to him and he cried harder at the mere idea. But he had to put an end to their relationship to protect himself from even more suffering. His broken would heal with time, it always had.

His jumped when his phone rang.

 _Donna_.

He took a deep breath and cleared his throat.

“Happy birthday old man.”, she cheered when he picked up.

“Thanks Donna.”, he replied, hoping she couldn’t hear that he’d been crying.

“I just had lunch with your brother, I’m heading back to the office.”, she said and he could hear the traffic in the background.

“How did it go ?”

“Very well.”, she sighed in contempt. “I don’t know how it’s going to turn out, but we’re back together.”

“That’s great, I’m happy for you.”, he smiled. “Neal asked me to dinner tonight and since you’re back with Paul, I-“

“Neal ?”, she cut him. “What about Mike ?”

“He’s gone.”, Harvey replied. “We broke up.”

“What happened ? Did you have a fight ?”

“No.”, he replied quickly, wanting this conversation to be over. “It’s just over. No big deal.”

“Yeah right.”, she huffed. “So you decided to have dinner with your ex ?”

“He called me earlier to whish me a happy birthday and asked me out, that’s it. We’re friends.”

“Harvey.”, she threatened. “Don’t think I cannot hear that you’re not ok.”

“I’m fine, Donna !”, he snapped. “Why is it so hard to believe ?”

“Because I know you’re not.”, she replied sharply. “You don’t want to tell me, that’s fine ! Running back to your ex for comfort sure seems like a very mature thing to do.”

“Bye Donna.”, he said, hanging up the phone.

It rang again immediately.

“What ?”, he snapped.

“Hey Harvey, everything alright ?”

Harvey checked the screen.

“Sorry Simon, I was expecting someone else. Yes, everything’s fine. How can I help you ?”

“Yeah, well, could I speak with Mike ? I’m sorry to bother you but I still have his phone.”

“He’s not here.”

“Do you know when I can call back ?”

“He’s not coming back. He left 10 minutes ago, I don’t know where he went.”

“O.K”, Simon replied pausing dramatically between each letter. “I guess I’ll have to find him on my own, then.”, he sighed. “We’re flying to New York tomorrow morning and Mike doesn’t have the information he needs to meet with us for rehearsals.”

“I’ll call you if I hear from him, that’s all I can do.”, Harvey replied dryly.

“He’s alone in New York where paparazzi know he’s staying and he doesn’t have a phone. That’s just fucking great !”, Simon laughed nervously. “Thank you anyway. Bye Harvey.”

“No problem, bye Simon.”

“Fuck !”, he yelled, throwing his phone on the couch.

He rubbed his face and sat down.

Simon was right. A distressed Mike wandering the streets of New York wasn’t a good idea at all.

He called Neal.

“Neal, could you do me a favor ?”

 

30 minutes later, Neal met him outside his building.

“So, where do you want to start looking ?”, he asked.

“Take my car and drive around, I’ll walk. He’s probably walking too.”, he said, handing Neal the keys to his car.

“Ok, I’ll call you if anything comes up.”

“Thanks for doing this Neal.”, Harvey smiled.

“I’ve always loved a good treasure hunt.”, Neal joked, flashing his gorgeous smile.

 

Mike was sitting on a bench in Central Park, sipping on a steaming paper cup of coffee.

He had called Trevor from a payphone he had come across on his way to the park. He knew his whole phonebook by heart. He had asked him to not tell Simon he had called and they had chatted about Harvey and the upcoming Rockefeller Center show.

“Hey”, a voice pulled him out of his thoughts. “Can I take a picture with you ?”

A young woman was smiling at him.

“Sure.”, he tried to smile back.

He stood up and wrapped an arm around the young woman.

“Thank you so much !”, she squealed. “I love your music !”

“No, thank _you_.”, he smiled as tears were threatening again.

“Bye !”, she waved before walking away.

He couldn’t stay here. As much as he loved to meet fans, he couldn’t possibly be taking pictures with them when all he really wanted was to hide away for a century.

 

 

Neal had been driving around downtown Manhattan for almost two hours and he was beginning to lose hope. How was he supposed to spot Mike in the thick throng of bundled-up New Yorkers ?

The sun was setting down and it was freezing cold. Neal hoped Mike had booked a hotel room or found a friend’s couch to crash on.

He didn’t know Mike, had only met him once or twice, they had shaken hands and exchanged pleasantries. Still, when Harvey had called to ask for help, he had immediately agreed. He hadn’t asked questions but Harvey had insisted on telling him the whole story. Once again, Harvey’s trust and heart had been broken and still, he couldn’t let go. He had broken up with Mike and was mad at him but still, he wanted to make sure he was fine and he was worried. _Typical Harvey_.

Neal was stopped at a red light and just as he was about to call Harvey to ask him if he should keep looking, he saw Mike crossing the street, right in front of him. He was wearing a brown bomber jacket with a fur collar and had a duffle bag thrown over his shoulder. His nose was red and his lips were almost blue. He must have spent the last two hours in the cold.

Neal slid the window open.

“Mike !”, he called.

Mike turned around and frowned when he recognized Neal.

“Get in.”, Neal smiled. “It’s freezing.”

Mike stopped in the middle of the crosswalk and seemed to be considering his options. The traffic light turned green and Neal heard honking behind him.

“Come on Mike.”, he pleaded.

Mike finally walked to the car and stepped in.

Neal started the engine and smiled at him.

“Is that Harvey’s car ?”, Mike asked.

“Yep. I’ve been driving around town looking for you for two hours.”

“Looking for _me_ ?”, Mike asked with a frown.

“Harvey’s worried about you.”, Neal replied.

“Harvey asked _you_ to look for me ?”, Mike huffed.

“He thought you’d be wandering the streets, he’s looking for you too.”

“He thinks I need a babysitter. Why won’t he just leave me alone ?”

“I can drop you off right now if you want to.”, Neal said. “Or you can be reasonable and come back to his place.”

“Coming back to his place is _reasonable_ ?”, Mike scoffed. “I should book a hotel room instead of spending the night at a place where I’m not wanted. Pull over, I’m getting out.”

Neal pulled over but pressed a button to lock the doors.

“Harvey cares about you, Mike.”, Neal said, turning around to face Mike.

“Unlock the doors and let me out please.”

“Could we talk about it before you go out and freeze to death ?”

“Aren’t you supposed to have dinner with Harvey tonight anyway ?”

“At 8, yes.”, Neal smiled. “But I doubt that he still wants to.”

“Oh don’t worry I’m sure he’s thought about the many ways he wants to _celebrate_ with you.”, Mike laughed bitterly. “Please, let me out.”

“Alright, I’ve got an idea.”, Neal said. “You don’t want to go Harvey’s ? Fine. Come to my place, spend the night, get a good night sleep.”

“What ? Why would you do that for me?”

“Because Harvey’s my friend and I owe him a bunch of favors. Besides, you seem like a good guy and Harvey seemed genuinely worried that something might happen to you.”, Neal explained. “What do you think ?”

“I don’t even _know_ you !”

“That’s true.”, Neal smiled broadly. “You’ve got two options. Option one you book a hotel room and spend the night pining over Harvey and drinking miniature bottles from the mini-bar.”, he said with a serious voice. “Option two you come over to my place, I cook you a delicious dinner and we drink expensive wine while we put the world to rights.”

Mike sighed and pursed his lips.

“Option 2.”, he mumbled.

“That’s what I thought.”, Neal smiled. “I’m going to call Harvey, he must be worried sick.”

“Hey Harvey. he’s with me.” “No, he’s staying with me tonight.” “I’ll drop back tomorrow morning to return your car.” “He’s fine, don’t worry.” “Yeah, I’ll call you.” “Ok. Bye.”

“How is he ?”, Mike asked.

“He’s relieved. He was on his way back to his condo in case you showed up.”, Neal smiled. “Let’s go.”

 

 

“I wasn’t soliciting.”, Neal laughed. “I swear ! Ok, let me set the stage. I’m smoking a cigarette outside a bar where I’m having a drink with a couple of friends. There’s a cute guy standing with a glass of wine and he _winks_ at me. I smile, you know, to be polite and the guy suddenly produces a police badge and tells me I’m under arrest for solicitation.”

“Come on, you can’t arrest people like that ! You must have done something.”, Mike said, finishing his plate.

“I didn’t do anything. I barely smiled at him ! I was with Harvey at that time, I would never have made a pass at him.”

They were having dinner at Neal’s apartment. He rented a huge and luminous studio on the top floor of a very nice house in a cozy and residential part of New York. He had fixed them a nice dinner and they were chatting like they had known each other forever.

“You never cheated on Harvey ?”

“No !”, Neal looked offended. “I loved him and we were good. Plus, he had told me about his past relationships, that would have been plain cruel…”, he added. “Did _you_ cheat on him ?”

“I kissed a guy.”, Mike replied and blushed.

Neal sighed and refilled their glasses.

“You know that’s cheating, right ?”, Neal asked.

Mike bit his bottom lip and looked away.

“For me, cheating means that you let someone else in.”, Neal continued. “Whether physically or mentally. Whether it’s just thinking about someone else, fantasizing or kissing and sleeping with someone. Of course there are degrees in cheating. You can’t possibly compare thinking about fucking someone to actually do it. But it always starts with a thought. ”

“Do you think he’ll ever forgive me ?”, Mike asked.

“He will. He always does. He’s the most sympathetic person I know. But if you’re wondering if he’ll take you back, I have no idea.”, Neal sighed. “Should I open another bottle ?”

“God, yes, please.”

 

 

Harvey was sitting on his couch, nursing a glass of scotch, when his phone rang.

“Hey Paul.”, he said in a sigh. “Happy birthday.”

“Happy birthday to you too bro.”, Paul replied. “How are you ?”

“I’m guessing Donna told you.”

“She’s with me.”, Paul said. “You’re on speaker.”

Harvey rolled his eyes.

“I’m sorry Donna.”, he said.

“It’s ok.”, Donna replied softly. “How are you ? Are you with Neal ?”

“No.”, Harvey sighed loudly. “Neal’s with Mike. Long story.”

“I can imagine.”, Donna laughed. “So you’re alone ? On your birthday ? That’s sad.”

“It’s ok. I didn’t feel like celebrating anyway.”

“Wanna come over ?”, Paul stepped in. “I know it’s late but we still haven’t eaten.”

“Thank you.”, Harvey smiled. “But I’m going to bed. I want this day to be over.”

He heard Donna sigh.

“Call me if you want to talk, ok ?”, she said worryingly.

“I’m fine, don’t worry. Have a good night.”

“You too, Harvey.”, Paul and Donna replied in unison.

Harvey hung up and finished his glass.

He closed his eyes and tried to picture Mike and Neal having dinner together, hoping they were having a good time.

He texted Neal to make sure everything was alright.

“I hope everything’s ok. Going to bed. Thanks again.”

Seconds later came Neal’s reply.

“He’s fine. He wants you to know that he loves you. See you tomorrow morning. Goodnight.”

Harvey swallowed thickly as tears started to fill his eyes again.

“Pull yourself together Specter.”, he mumbled, walking to the bedroom.

 

 

“Hum, let me see…”, Mike narrowed his eyes and started counting on his fingers. “Piano, cello, drums, three or four different types of flutes, trumpet and saxophone, xylophone and marimba, acoustic and electric guitar, triangle, harmonica… hum, what else…”, he pursed his lips. “tambourine…. and that’s it. I think.”

Neal burst out laughing.

“You’re kidding me, right ?”, he asked dumbfoundedly. “You really play all these instruments ?”

Mike nodded and blushed.

“Oh don’t blush.”, Neal said with a teasing smile. “You’re a freaking music genius !”

“I’m not a genius, I’m passionate and I have been blessed with a great memory and an absolute pitch so learning how to play all these instruments was stupidly easy.”, Mike replied humbly.

“Genius.”, he repeated. ”I can see what Harvey sees in you. You’re cute.”

“I’m not.”, Mike said somberly. “I hurt him.”

“Hey nobody’s perfect.”, Neal said, placing a reassuring hand on Mike’s shoulder.

“Harvey is.”, Mike smiled sadly.

“Trust me, he’s not.”, Neal laughed. “For starters, he’s a fucking neat freak and finds everything disgusting.”, he explained, rolling his eyes dramatically. “He’s high maintenance and cries a lot. _A fucking lot_. And he’s also a real mama’s boy.”

“That’s so true !”, Mike laughed. “But he’s… he’s the nicest person I’ve ever met. He’s kind and compassionate, and he’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen.”, he added in a sigh.

“And his laugh.”, Neal winked. “He’s got the best laugh, right ?”

Mike agreed with a nod and downed the rest of his glass.

“How did you manage to stay friends with him ?”, he asked.

“I wasn’t in love anymore, that helps.”, Neal replied. “I still care a lot about him, and like you said, he’s a wonderful man. But we both fell out of love and decided to go our separate ways. I didn’t plan on staying friends with him, it just happened.”

“He called me his friend today.”, Mike said with a disgusted face.

“That means he doesn’t want to lose you.”, Neal said, refilling their glass one more time. “It’s a good thing. It leaves the door open. I’m sure he’s pining over you right now. He’s probably crying.”, Neal chuckled.

“That’s not funny.”, Mike nudged him with his elbow but couldn’t help chuckling. “Oh God, I’m so drunk.”

“Yeah, me too.”, Neal yawned. “You probably should get some sleep if you’re going to perform tomorrow.”

“Hey ! Would you like to come with me ? To the show ? Do you work ?”, Mike asked.

“I don’t work.”, Neal replied. “I don’t have to.”

“What ? You won the lottery ?”, Mike joked.

“Nah.”, Neal smiled. “I was born loaded. My parents own a tobacco company.”

“And they support your lifestyle ?”

“Basically.”, Neal replied, getting up from the couch. “I’ve been raised by a nanny, I was homeschooled and they were never home. I graduated from an art school but never worked. They transfer money to my bank account every month.”, he said, rummaging through a drawer before finally finding what he was looking for.

“Well, that’s kinda sad.”

“No, it’s not. I’m lucky. I grew up with a lot of love from the people who worked at the house and I had everything I needed.”, he sat back on the couch and opened a thin and yellowed photo album. “These are Trent and Monica, my parents.”, he said, pointing at a good-looking couple. “This is Luke. He was my baby brother, he died from meningitis 25 years ago.”

“I’m sorry.”

“He was a great kid.”, Neal sighed and smiled sadly. “Do you have siblings ?”

“I’m an orphan. I lost my parents when I was very young and grew up in foster care.”

“Now _that_ is sad.”, Neal said, closing the photo album. “But you’ve done very well for yourself, your parents would be proud.”

“I guess.”, Mike whispered.

“Ok, enough with the sad stuff. Let’s make some sweet music !”, Neal exclaimed, jumping up. “Turns out I love to sing and I can play the guitar. I have a keyboard somewhere.”

“I thought we were supposed to go to bed.”, Mike grinned while Neal disappeared into what looked like a dressing room.

“There it is !”, he said triumphantly. “You play the piano, I play the guitar.”

He placed the dusty keyboard on the dining room table and walked to the bedroom part of his studio to get his guitar.

“I hope it’s tuned.”, he grimaced. “I haven’t played in months.”

 

 

Mike woke up to the sound of a pounding on the door. He opened his eyes and took a look at his surroundings. He was on a couch. _Oh right, Neal’s apartment_.

“Coming !”, Neal rasped loudly.

He stretched and checked the time on his phone.

“Shit !”, he exclaimed. “Wake up Mike, it’s almost noon !”

He jumped out of bed and walked to the door.

“Harvey.”, he said. “Come in.”

Mike sat up on the couch and yawned. Harvey was dressed in a suit and an overcoat. He looked pissed but also drop dead gorgeous.

“Hey.”, Mike smiled weakly.

Harvey nodded in his direction and checked his watch.

“Simon just called me.”, he said. “You were supposed to meet them at 11.”

“That’s my fault.”, Neal said. “I’m pretty sure I set up an alarm but it never went on.”

“Get dressed, I’ll drive you there.”, Harvey ordered, ignoring Neal’s intervention.

Mike obeyed and grabbed his shoes.

Neal cleared his throat and handed Harvey his car keys.

“Thanks.”, Harvey said dryly.

Mike neatly folded the comforter Neal had lent to him and put it on the couch.

“All set ?”, Harvey asked impatiently.

“Can I use the bathroom before we go, _Daddy_ ?”, Mike asked petulantly.

“Make it quick.”

“You know you don’t _have_ to drive me there.”, Mike rolled his eyes. “I can take a cab.”

Harvey sighed and pointed at the bathroom door.

“ _Quick_.”, he repeated in the low voice he normally only used at work.

Mike sighed theatrically, barely resisting the urge to flip him the bird.

 

They left Neal’s place and walked to the car without a word.

“Why did you come all the way here ?”, Mike asked, buckling his seatbelt.

“Because you can’t seem to be responsible.”

“And what business of yours is it exactly ?”, Mike huffed.

Ignoring Mike’s question, Harvey started the engine and turned on the radio.

_“… they’re performing their new song tonight at the Rockefeller Center and we’re broadcasting it live ! Apparently, Mike Ross had a family emergency yesterday and they had to cancel their promo day in Atlanta, it could have something to do with his boyfriend, what do you think ?...”_

Harvey angrily turned the car radio off and stepped on the accelerator.

“Well, it seems like everybody thinks my business is theirs.”, Mike chuckled nervously. “Could you slow down a bit ?”

“No.”

Mike rolled his eyes. He was exhausted. Neal and him had played and sung for two hours before finally deciding to call it a night and they had drunk way too much. He hadn’t showered or brushed his teeth and his hair was a total mess.

“God, I need a shower…”, he complained, rubbing his face.

“You smell.”

“No I don’t.”, Mike replied defensively.

He rubbed his armpit and sniffed his fingers.

“That’s totally disgusting.”, Harvey frowned.

Mike grinned and held out his hand for Harvey to smell.

“Put it away, Mike.”

“You say I smell and I say I don’t. Check for yourself.”, Mike replied teasingly.

Harvey tried to suppress a smile but failed miserably.

“Fine, you don’t smell.”, he conceded with a soft smile. “Now put it away.”

Mike’s heart fluttered when he saw Harvey’s smile. He had missed it so much.

“I miss you.”, he said.

Harvey didn’t reply but Mike saw him gulp.

 

After 25 minutes of yet another silent ride, Harvey pulled over in front of the Rockefeller Center where camera crews and technicians were running around the ice rink. A stage had been set up and covered half of the skating area.

“Thanks for driving me.”, Mike said.

He grabbed the interior door handle and pulled it.

“Mike.”, Harvey said. “I… I miss you too.”

Mike’s heart swelled with joy but he tried to keep a straight face.

“Will you come see me tonight ?”, he asked.

“I’d love to.”, Harvey smiled tentatively.

“See you tonight then.”, Mike grinned before stepping out of the car.

He closed the door and walked to the ice rink without looking back. He suddenly felt wide-awake and happy and excited. Things were finally looking up. Harvey missed him. He took a deep breath and waved at Trevor and Jenny who were helping with the instruments.

“About time !”, Trevor exclaimed with a broad smile.


	21. The End (part one)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it took me a week to post again but my quick break and then work have been keeping me busy.   
> This is the first half of the two-part "finale". I'm hoping to post the second half by Sunday.  
> Thanks a lot to everyone reading and thanks for the kind comments. It means a lot.  
> Hope you enjoy it !  
> xoxo

The sun had been gone for a couple of hours and the Rockefeller Center was beautifully illuminated with Christmas decorations and multicolored garlands. There were a thousand lucky people gathered around the ice rink and stage and the show was broadcast live on MTV. The annual MTV Christmas Show was an institution, much like the Disney Christmas parade. Each year, the biggest names in the business would come to sing their latest hits and traditional Christmas songs.

For its 10-year anniversary, the MTV Christmas Show had asked each artist to choose a hit song from the last 10 years they would like to perform.

The band had just been informed of this and Mike had decided they would perform an acoustic version of “No Air” by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown. Mike and Tess would duet while Trevor and Jenny would both play the guitar. They had only had time for one rehearsal because Mike had spent a lot of time arguing with the tech guys during soundcheck.

Mike had invited Donna, Paul, Neal and Harvey to attend the show. They had VIP access, meaning front row tickets and backstage entrance. The show was supposed to start at 9.

Neal had arrived early in the afternoon and watched all the artists rehearse. Bruno Mars, Nicky Minaj, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira were among the list of performers invited to celebrate the show’s anniversary.

Donna and Paul had arrived later, around 7, during preshow while the performers were getting ready.

At 8:30, Harvey was still a no-show.

“Do you think he's going to show up ?”, Mike asked Neal, who was playing a game on his phone.

“He told you he’d be there, right ?”

“Yeah but he isn’t.”, Mike sighed. “And Donna said he’d left the office at 4.”

“Don’t worry pup.”, Donna smiled. “He had court at 5 and it was just a preliminary hearing, he should be here soon.”

“Could someone call him ?”, Mike asked.

“I’ll text him.”, Paul replied with a smile.

Simon entered their dressing room with a pack of water bottles. 2 floors of a building adjacent to the rink had been requisitioned for the artists’ dressing rooms and an interview room.

“Guys.”, he said, putting the bottles on one of the counters. “The show starts in 30 minutes with a video and then Shakira’s taking the stage. All the artists are asked on the stage to perform their song followed by an interview on the ice. You’ll have to put on ice skates. I know you’re familiar with ice-skating so this shouldn’t be a problem. You’re performing at 10 sharp. The second song, the one you’ve chosen, will be performed at the end of the show, right before Mariah Carey who does the closing act. Is everything alright with you ?”

“Yup.”, Trevor replied with a wink.

“Any questions ?”

“Mike has one.”, Jenny replied teasingly. “He wants to know if Harvey’s coming.”

Mike shot her a look.

“You know what ? I might have the answer to that.”, Simon smiled. “He just texted me. He’s going to be late, his court thing took longer than expected.”

“He texted _you_ ?”, Mike and Donna asked in unison.

“What can I say ?”, Simon smirked. “We’re friends.”

“Welcome to the club.”, Mike said with a sigh and he closed his eyes so that the make up artist could powder his face.

 

At 10 to 9, the band’s guests left the dressing room to go to their seats with the other audience members.

“I need more training.”, Jenny said, grabbing one of the acoustic guitars. “Let’s do No Air one more time, ok ?”

“ _Tell me how I’m supposed to breathe with no air…_ ”

They were singing at the top of their lungs when a knock on the door stopped them.

“Come in !”, Trevor shouted.

Harvey entered the room and smiled.

“I’m sorry, I’m late.”, he said apologetically. “Where’s everybody ?”, he asked, looking around the room.

“They’ve already taken their seat in the audience.”, Simon replied without looking up from his phone and typing furiously.

“Oh.”, Harvey said. “Hum, I guess I’m going to join them.”

“Yeah.”, Simon smiled and put his phone in his pocket. “Follow me.”

Harvey nodded and waved at the four bandmates before closing the door behind him.

“Happy ?”, Trevor asked Mike with a mischievous smile.

 

Simon and Harvey elbowed their way through the crowd of technicians and busy assistants to exit the building and walked to the ice rink where a countdown was playing on the big screen overlooking the stage. Simon pointed at Donna, Paul and Neal and showed his badge to the security guy guarding the entrance to the VIP area.

As soon as Harvey passed the security rope, flashes started coming from all directions and he had to cover his face to walk to his seat.

“Thank God you’re here.”, Paul rolled his eyes dramatically. “These guys think I’m you.”

“Where were you ?”, Donna asked, removing her purse from the empty seat.

“What was supposed to be a hearing turned into a trial.”, Harvey sighed. “The defense had brought substantial evidences to the meeting and the judge rushed the proceedings. The trial resumes at 9 tomorrow morning. I should be preparing my client’s defense…”

“But you’re here.”, Donna smiled knowingly.

“Have you seen Mike ?”, Neal asked. “He was afraid you wouldn’t show up.”

“I did, they were rehearsing.”

“Shhhhh.”, Donna whispered, holding a finger to her lips. “It’s starting !”

“Good evening everybody !”, Kim Kardashian smiled broadly as she walked to the end of the stage. “Thanks for joining us tonight for MTV’s 10th Christmas Show !”

“It’s freezing out there !”, Marc Anthony complained, joining her. “But we’ve got great performers and a couple of surprises to keep you warm !”

“As you can see, we’ve set up the ice rink with cute light bulbs and a Christmas Tree. Marc and I are going to slip on a pair of ice skates and welcome our first performer of the night in a moment.”, Kim grinned, picking up a pair of bedazzled skates from the floor. “But first, take a look at the Show’s funniest moments from the past decade !”

 

“Stop fidgeting Mike, you’re making me nervous !”, Tess scolded.

“Ready guys ?”, Simon asked. “Get your coats and let’s go.”

“Weren’t we supposed to have a new assistant ?”, Trevor asked.

“Applications have been submitted to my casting director.”, Simon replied with a smirk. “He said he’d give me his top three by Tuesday.”

“We’ve got a _casting director_ ?”, Jenny frowned.

“Yeah, long story.”, Simon sighed. “Come on now !”

They all put their coats on and left the room.

Jenny was wearing a cream peacoat over a cute little black dress paired with black tights and cream Ugg boots. Tess had chosen simple black overcoat and white pants while Trevor and Mike were donning almost matching white v-necks and wool suit jackets with a scarf and black tight pants.

“We look like rich teenagers.”, Trevor joked, looking at his reflection in the elevator.

They practically ran from the building to the stage and stopped to catch their breath as a video of the past decade’s funniest moments finished playing.

“Quite the memories !”, Marc grinned, stumbling on the ice.

“Careful Marc !”, Kim laughed. “I need you to introduce our next performers !”

“We’re very proud to have them tonight. Please welcome Mike and The Harmony and their new hit song Only a real man !”

The crowd went wild and the four members stepped on the stage and waved at the audience. A couple of back up musicians had already settled in the left corner of the stage.

“Good evening !”, Mike smiled, laying down his trumpet at his feet. “You guys are really brave, it’s freaking freezing !”, he laughed. “Thank you so much for having us tonight, it’s an immense pleasure for the four of us. You know how we love New York !”, the crowd cheered and Mike gestured for them to cheer louder. “Alright alright !”, he laughed again. “You’re the best ! Here’s our new song [Only a real man](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJfOOghrP1E). We’re playing it live for the very first time !”

Jenny tapped her drumstick while Mike counted “One two three four. Two two three four”.

 

The performance went perfectly and Mike’s trumpet solo elicited whistles and loud clapping from the crowd.

The two presenters launched a commercial break to allow them to put on their skates.

After the break, the four of them made their entrance on the ice and Mike and Trevor engaged in a race around the ice rink.

“Wow !”, Kim exclaimed as they came to a slow and easy stop in front of her. “You guys are pros !”

“We’re from Canada !”, Trevor smiled.

“Thank you fro joining us tonight and congratulations on your performance !”, she smiled.

“Thank you, we’ve had a blast.”, Jenny replied with a shy smile.

“So you’ve just completed a huge promo tour, how do you feel ?”, Marc Anthony asked.

“Exhausted.”, Trevor replied. “But happy. We’ve had so much fun in Europe. We’re going on tour in January and we can’t wait to go back there.”

“Your new single just came out and it’s already number one, how do you do that ?”, Kim laughed.

“We’re overwhelmed with how the public has responded to our music.”, Mike replied humbly. “It’s a dream come true. I know we keep on saying that, but that’s exactly what it is. Come to think of it, it’s even bigger !”, he laughed.

“So which song did you pick to sing ?”

“Mike chose “No Air” by Jordin Sparks.”, Tess replied. “We barely had time to rehearse it but it’s going to be fun and we love to do covers.”

“Why this song Mike ?”, Kim asked.

“Well, when it came out, in 2007 I think, I was 14 and I only listened to jazz music at the time.”, Mike laughed. “Jenny, if I remember it well, made me listen to it one day and I found it stupid, I guess I couldn’t understand it because I had never been in love. I listened to it a couple of days ago and the lyrics suddenly made sense.”, he blushed. “Someone takes your breath away and when they’re gone you can’t breathe, it’s like you’re _living in a world with no air_. Also, Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown are amazing singers, I hope Tess and I will do justice to their beautiful song.”

“I’m sure you will.”, Marc smiled. “Thank you again so much for coming to New York. What are your plans for Christmas ?”

“Toronto !”, Trevor shouted with his fist in the air. “We haven’t seen our friends in forever.”

“Well, have a great time and get some rest before the tour !”, Kim smiled. “Thanks a lot guys !”

After one last lap, they waved and skated their way to the back of the ice rink.

“God, I love skating !”, Tess grinned. “That was fun !”

“You did really great.”, Simon smiled. “The performance was awesome for a first.”

“Thanks.”, Mike replied, unlacing his skates.

“You’ve got 30 minutes before going back on stage, there are sandwiches and water in the dressing room.”

 

30 minutes later, Trevor and Jenny were taking their seats on the stage while Mariah Carey was being interviewed on the ice. Of course she wasn’t skating, they had placed a small carpet for her to walk on with her 6-inch heels.

Tess was supposed to step on the stage first to start singing the first verse and Mike would join her the second part.

“Mariah Carey will come back later to sing her number one Christmas hit All I want for Christmas is you.”, Kim smiled. “But right now, as you can see on the screen, Trevor and Jenny from Mike and the Harmony have sat down on the stage with their guitar.”

The crowd cheered and Trevor grinned stupidly.

“Covering [No Air](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBKnpyoFEBo), please welcome Mike and the Harmony !”, Marc Anthony exclaimed.

“ _Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air ?_ ”, Tess sang, appearing from behind a thick red curtain.

Trevor and Jenny started playing while she moved forward to the edge of the stage.

“ _If I should die before I wake_  
 _It's cause you took my breath away_  
 _Losing you is like living in a world with no air, oh_ ”

Mike opened the curtain.

“ _I'm here alone, didn't wanna leave_  
My heart won't move, it's incomplete  
If there was a way that I could make you understand.”

They took each other’s hand and sang in unison.

“ _But how do you expect me_  
To live alone with just me ?  
'Cause my world revolves around you  
It's so hard for me to breathe.”

Two back up singers joined them for the chorus.

“ _Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air ?_  
Can't live, can't breathe with no air  
It's how I feel whenever you ain't there  
There's no air, no air

_Got me out here in the water so deep_

_Tell me how you gonna be without me ?_   
_If you ain't here I just can't breathe_   
_There's no air, no air…”_

It was a hard song to sing and while Tess had a strong voice, Mike had to really push his. There was a message he was trying to convey to that one sharp-dressed man in the front row and there was no way he’d let his voice crack.

And it did not crack. They finished the song a capella and smiling at each other.

 _“Got me out here in the water so deep_  
Tell me how you gonna be without me ?  
If you ain't here I just can't breathe  
There's no air, no air…”

The crowed cheered and Trevor and Jenny joined them for their trademark bow. Right before bowing down, Mike’s eyes met Harvey and his gaze lingered on him for a couple of seconds, just enough time for Harvey to blush and clear his throat nervously.

 

At 11, Kim Kardashian and Marc Anthony wrapped up the show and the crowd dispersed slowly.

“Did you have fun ?”, Simon asked, walking towards Harvey, Paul, Donna and Neal.

“I’m a huge Mariah Carey fan, I loved it.”, Donna replied with a smile.

“Good.”, Simon smiled back. “We’re going out for a drink, wanna join us ?”

“I know tomorrow’s Saturday, but I have to be in court at 9 and I have work to do until then…”, Harvey replied apologetically.

“Oh come on Harvey, _one drink_ !”, Neal pleaded. “You’re the best, you don’t need to prepare.”

“Of course I do, but _fine_.”, Harvey sighed. “One drink.”

“It’s so cute.”, Paul teased. “You’ve never been able to say no to anyone.”

Harvey rolled his eyes and the group headed to the building housing the performers’ dressing rooms.

Photographers were patiently waiting a couple of feet from the doors, regularly pushed away by the scary gorillas guarding the entrance.

“Harvey, Harvey !”, they started yelling as they approached.

Donna straightened her coat, puts on her best smile and waved at them. The photographers didn’t seem to know which one of Paul or Harvey was Harvey so they were basically just snapping away.

“Harvey, did you and Mike break up ?” “Harvey !”

“Back away guys !”, Simon ordered, stepping in front of Harvey to protect him from the camera flashes.

They climbed up the couple of stairs leading to the entrance of the building and Simon showed his badge to the security men who let them in with a nod.

“36th floor”, Simon said to himself when in the elevator. “I’ll have to hire security for the band. It’s getting out of hands.”

“It _is_ crazy.”, Neal smiled. “They know Harvey !”

“And you haven’t read what they say online.”, Donna sighed. “They describe him as a rich heartless lawyer driven by success. One article even suggested that Mike and him were in a BDSM relationship which could hurt Mike’s career.”

“I don’t wanna know, Donna.”, Harvey said with a disgusted face.

Neal burst out laughing.

“Oh my God, they couldn’t be further from the truth !”, he exclaimed as the elevator reached the 36th floor and Harvey shot him a look.

The corridor floor was filled with suitcases and clothes racks and, after a couple of careful steps, they finally reached the band’s dressing room.

“All packed ?”, Simon asked as he entered, followed by the rest of the group.

Trevor and Jenny were closing their suitcase and Tess was on the phone by the window.

“Yup.”, Trevor replied, a joint pressed between his lips.

“You are _not_ leaving the building with that thing in your mouth.”, Simon snapped. “Where’s Mike ?”

“Bathroom.”, Jenny smiled. “You guys coming with us ?”, she asked.

“Just a quick drink.”, Donna replied.

The door opened and Mike came in, barefoot, dressed in a pair of black jeans and an open white shirt.

“You’re not dressed ?”, Simon complained. “Can you hurry up please ?”

Mike stuck out his tongue at him then smiled shyly at Harvey.

“I spoke with Shakira, she’s really nice.”, he said, buttoning up his shirt.

“That’s great Mike.”, Simon sighed. “Now hurry up and let’s go get that drink.”

Mike quickly put on a pair of socks and worn-out purple Chucks.

Tess ended her phone call and joined them by the door.

“How’s the husband ?”, Jenny asked with a smile.

“He’s doing good.”, Tess replied. “He can’t wait for me to come home.”

Harvey quirked an eyebrow and lowered his eyes to look at her hand. She indeed was wearing a wedding band.

“Alright, I’m ready !”, Mike smiled triumphantly.

 

They used a backdoor to exit the building and loaded the rented minibus truck with their luggage and music instruments while Simon gave his instructions to the driver.

“Should we walk ?”, Trevor asked.

“We can’t possibly all fit in the minibus anyway.”, Simon replied, looking away to weigh their options. “There’s a nice club with good security approximately 3 blocks from here.”, he took out his phone and started tapping on the screen. “It’s freezing and there are paparazzi everywhere. I think we should take cabs. Let me text you the address.”

“Got it !”, Donna smiled. “Come on Neal, we’ll share a cab.”, she said, looking at him pointedly.

Neal winked and followed them.

“See you there !”, he waved.

“Jenny, Trevor, Tess and I will also share a cab.”, Simon said, suppressing a smile. “You two, uh,…”, he added, gesturing towards Harvey and Mike.

Mike rolled his eyes and sighed.

“We’ll walk.”, he said. “See you there.”

“Are you sure ?”, Simon asked worryingly. “Be careful.”

“Yeah yeah _Daddy_.”, Mike mocked and walked away.

Harvey caught up with him and took out his gloves from his overcoat pocket before putting them on. They walked side by side looking ahead. It was cold and dark and there weren’t a lot of passersby. Mike glanced sideways at Harvey and watched him putting on his gloves with nostalgia. He wanted to take his hand and feel his warmth.

“Did you uh, like the show ?”, Mike asked tentatively.

“Yeah.”, Harvey replied. “I can now add ice-skating to the endless list of things you master.”

“I used to skate a lot.”, Mike smiled. “There are 52 outdoor rinks in Toronto, Trevor and I have spent a lot of time competing after school.”

“Do you miss Toronto ?”

“Sometimes…”, Mike sighed. “I grew up there. But I’ve always known I wanted to see the world, I’ve never really considered Toronto my home. I wasn’t born there, I only moved there after my parent’s death. I consider it a bridge from my life with my parents to my adult life.”

Harvey nodded silently. He tended to forget how difficult growing up must have been for Mike. He always looked so happy and lively.

“What are your plans for Christmas ?”, Mike asked.

“The usual.”, Harvey smiled. “Dinner at my Mum’s with my sisters and brothers and their kids. Maybe Donna will join us this year. We basically eat too much, drink way too much and end up passing out just a couple of hours before the kids wake up and start screaming for their presents.”

Mike chuckled.

“You ?”, Harvey asked. “What do you usually do ?”

“There’s no usual… When we lived with our foster families, we would spend Christmas with them and follow whatever traditions they had but I kind of always felt like an intruder. They were great but Christmas is special… I don’t know.”, he sighed. “As soon as I was old enough to drive, I worked as a paperboy and bought a crappy car. I started travelling around Canada until the money ran dry and then Trevor and I stole a van and crossed the border. We spent a Christmas in the woods.”, he chuckled. "Freezed our asses."

Harvey shook his head in amusement.

“Last Christmas, we were in New York, recording our album.”, Mike explained “Tess’s husband joined us as well as Jenny’s sister and parents. We had a blast.”

Harvey hummed in agreement and they continued to walk in silence. He couldn’t help but wonder what Mike had planned for Christmas this year and he felt something twist in his guts at the thought of him being alone during this family time.

“So you’re flying back to Toronto for Christmas ?”, he asked, trying to sound casual.

“I don’t know.”, Mike replied. “I don’t know yet.”

“Ok.”, Harvey breathed. “Do you um ? I mean, if you don’t… have plans or would rather change them, I uh, I’m sure my Mum would be thrilled to have you.”, he stuttered.

Mike turned his head to face him and grinned stupidly.

“You’re adorable when you stutter.”

Harvey blushed and smiled back.

“I’ll think about it.”, Mike said before pointing at a crowded pavement across the street. “Looks like we’re here.”

They crossed the street moved towards Simon who was waiting for them at the door.

The bouncer nodded and opened the rope.

A couple of people in the waiting line shouted Mike’s name and he waved at them with a smile.

The club was packed and Rihanna’s Where have you been was playing loudly.

Mike and Harvey followed Simon to the VIP area where Paul, Donna, Neal and the rest of the band were already enjoying a bottle of champagne.

“Hey !”, Jenny grinned and shifted on the leather bench to make room for them.

They took off their coats and sat down.

“We’re trending on twitter !”, Tess exclaimed, holding out her phone for everyone to see. “Harvey, do you know what twitter is ?”

“I think it’s a small message service or something.”, Harvey replied with a tentative smile.

“Well, not really.”, Tess giggled. “Let me show you.”

She stood up and gestured for Mike to trade seats. Mike sighed and walked to the VIP bar.

“Ok so on twitter, you’re supposed to post small messages, 140 characters tops, called _tweets_.”, she began to explain, her fingers skillfully working on the screen. “This person, Matilda03 had posted this.”, she smiled pointing at a tweet that read _‘Mike and Tess’s renditon of No Air needs to be recorded and released. #MTVChristmasShow’_. “That’s nice, right ?”

Harvey smiled back and nodded.

“We have an account, it’s like Instagram, you can keep in touch with people that way. They can tweet you and you can tweet them.”, she frowned and pointed at another tweet. “Sometimes they aren’t very nice...”, she smiled apologetically and poured him a glass of champagne.

The tweet in question read _‘Mike’s boyfriend’s got a pickle up his ass. Sexy as hell but also scary. Smile for God’s sake ! #MTVChristmasShow’_ accompanied by TV capture of Harvey in the audience.

Harvey laughed and shook his head in disbelief. 

“So, you’re married.”, Harvey stated, clinking their glasses together.

“Yep.”, she smiled and took a long sip of her drink. “His name is Charles, we’ve been together since high school and we got married two years ago.”

“How does he cope with you being away ?”

“He doesn’t like it.”, she confessed. “But he knows that music’s always been my dream. He trusts me.”, she smiled knowingly. “He wants to have kids but it’s obviously out of the question for the moment.”

Harvey nodded and looked at the bar where Mike was laughing with Neal.

“How did you meet Mike ?”, he asked.

“Our parents were friends.”, she replied somberly. “When Mike’s parents died, mine tried to apply to be his guardians but it didn’t work.”, she sighed. “He moved to Toronto and we didn’t see each other before finally reconnecting through Facebook a year ago.”

Harvey finished his glass and looked at his watch.

“He loves you, you know.”, Tess smiled, putting a hand on his wrist. “I’m just starting to get to know him again but what he feels for you is obvious.”

Harvey smiled and placed a hand on top of hers.

“Merry Christmas.”, he said before getting up and leaving the table.

He walked to Donna and Paul who were whispering things into each other’s ear and giggling.

“Sorry to interrupt.”, he said. “But I have to go.”

“You’re a buzzkill Harvey, you know that ?”, Donna smiled teasingly.

“I have work to do.”, he replied with an exaggerated pout.

“I know. Text me when you’re home.”, she said and pulled him into a hug.

“Bye bro.”, Paul smiled.

Harvey waved at Jenny and Trevor and walked to the bar.

“I’m leaving.”, he said with a shy smile. “I have to be in court at 9 tomorrow morning.”

“Good luck !”, Neal exclaimed, wrapping his arms around him.

“Thanks.”, Harvey replied.

Mike gulped and smiled. They both looked at each other for a couple of long seconds before Harvey took a deep breath and waved.

“Bye Mike.”, he said, and he turned back to Neal. “You’re in charge of him, ok ?”

“Hey !”, Mike frowned with a smile. “I don’t need a babysitter.”

Harvey snorted and walked away.

He tried to exit the club discreetly but of course, the paps instantly recognized him. They started snapping as soon as he had one foot out the door.

“Harvey ! Are you and Mike still together ?” “Harvey ! Over here ! Please !”

The bouncer tried to help him go through the crowd of hungry photographers but they were blocking the way.

“Get that thing out of my face !”, Harvey shouted when one of them almost touched him with his camera.

The guy did not back up so Harvey grabbed his camera and threw it on the wet and cold pavement.

“Hey !”, the man yelled and he shoved Harvey.

Harvey took a step back and licked his lips in anger as bile was rising up his throat.

“I know your name you fucker and my friends here have it all caught on tape, I’m going to sue you asshole !”, the man added when he had picked up his broken camera from the floor.

“What did you just say to me ?”, Harvey asked through clenched teeth, his eyes dark.

“Guys calm down.”, the bouncer stepped in as the other photographers kept snapping.

“That son of a bitch broke my camera !”

Harvey pursed his lips and threw a fist at the man’s jaw.

The man screamed in surprise and grabbed his jaw with both hands.

“Someone call the police ! He assaulted me !”, he shouted.

Everybody was looking at them and the bouncer had difficulties trying to convince the curious people waiting in line to stay behind the velvet rope.

A police car pulled over and an officer flashed his badge to the paps who put their cameras down and stepped to the side to allow him to approach the scene.

“What’s going on here ?”, he asked.

“That f-, that _guy_ broke my camera and assaulted me !”, the photographer replied loudly, waving his broken camera in the air as a proof.

“Is that right ?”, the policeman asked to Harvey.

“I’m not saying a word without the presence of my attorney.”, Harvey replied calmly.

The policeman rolled his eyes.

“Would you like to press charges, Sir ?”, he asked to the distressed photographer.

“You bet I’m pressing charges !”, the man yelled, his cheeks red.

“Well then I’m going to ask you both to follow me to the station. And Sir.”, he turned to Harvey. “You better call your lawyer now and ask him to meet you at the Midtown North Precinct.”

Harvey dialed Jessica’s number, hoping she would answer her phone at such an ungodly hour.

 

 

She arrived 30 minutes later, looking her most elegant as usual but also pissed as hell.

Harvey was sitting on an iron bench in the main corridor, one of his writs handcuffed to a metal ring incrusted in the wall.

She stopped in front of him and rested her hands on her hips.

“What happened ?”, she asked sharply.

Harvey sighed and rubbed his forehead.

“I was leaving a club and there were paps everywhere, they wouldn’t let me take a single step forward and one of them practically hit me with his camera.”, he explained. “I asked him to put it away and he didn’t so I grabbed the camera and threw it on the floor. He started insulting me and I, uh, I lost it, I punched him in the face.”

Jessica sighed dramatically and walked to the reception.

Harvey yawned loudly when his phone rang.

He used his free hand to search his pockets and managed to pick it up in time.

“Mike.”

“Where are you Harvey ?”, Mike asked, visibly worried. “The bouncer told Simon you got involved in a fight with the paparazzi and that you left in a police car ! Fuck Harvey ! Are you alright ?”

“Calm down Mike.”, Harvey sighed. “I’m alright. I acted stupidly and now I’m paying up.”

“Oh my God, are you in prison ?”

“Do you think they let you keep your phone in prison ?”, Harvey chuckled.

Mike sighed in relief.

“Where are you ? What station ?”, he asked.

Harvey could still here the music, he probably was right outside the club.

“Don’t worry Mike, Jessica’s here with me. Enjoy your party.”, Harvey said gently.

“No, I want to see you !”, Mike objected. “Were you hurt ?”

“No, I hurt the guy.”

He could almost hear Mike grin on the other side of the line.

“Good.”, Mike said. “But I still wanna see you.”

Harvey rolled his eyes.

“Midtown North Precinct.”, he replied with a loud sigh. “5-minute walk from the club.”

“Ok, I’m coming.”, Mike quickly said before hanging up.


	22. The End (part two)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are precious readers, this is the final part. It's the longest chapter I've ever written but it's also the hardest thing I've ever had to write. I know my story was coming to an end but I had absolutely NO IDEA how I was going to end it.  
> Hope you like it.  
> I'd like to really thank each and everyone of you who read this fic and to address a special special special thank you to my dearest commenters :) Your kind words have kept me going, made me laugh sometimes, question my storyline sometimes and most importantly, they've made me happy.  
> I really hope you like this ending.  
> Please please please let me know.  
> Thanks again  
> xoxo

“You’re not going there !”, Simon said, gripping Mike’s arm. “There are paparazzi outside the station and I think we’ve had enough bad publicity for one night.”

They were in a dark alley behind the club where a bouncer and a bartender were having a smoke.

“Bad publicity ?”, Mike huffed. “Is that all you care about ? I’m going there.”, he added, untangling himself from Simon’s grip.

“Mike, listen to me.”, Simon ordered, lowering his voice. “He said his attorney had arrived, he doesn’t need us right now. You going there will only draw more attention to him and I don’t think that’s what he wants.”

Mike sighed and looked away. Simon was right.

“Now, come back inside.”

“I told him I was coming, he’s expecting me.”, Mike said, unlocking his phone. “Let me text him first.”

 

 

Harvey watched as a policeman and a smiling Jessica walked towards him in the long corridor.

“You’re free to go, Sir.”, the policeman said, unlocking his cuffs.

Harvey raised an eyebrow and massaged his wrist.

“Come on.”, Jessica said.

Harvey grabbed his coat and followed her.

“What did you do ?”, he asked with a smile.

“I asked to talk to the photographer.”, she explained, signing a couple of forms the policeman had handed to her. “I told him that you and Mike would ask for a restraining order if he didn’t drop the charges.”, she smiled. “You still need to pay him back for his camera but he dropped the charges.”

“We would never have been a granted a restraining order.”, Harvey frowned.

“I know. But he didn’t know that.”, she smirked.

Harvey smiled and signed the forms.

“Thank you Jessica.”

“Don’t mention it.”, she said, holding up a hand. “Just don’t get yourself in any more trouble and most of all…”, she smiled. “… never interrupt me during a hot date again.”

Harvey blushed and smiled apologetically.

“There’s a cab waiting for you outside the backdoor.”, she said, adjusting the scarf around her neck.

“Seriously, Jessica, you’re the best.”

“I know.”, she grinned. “See you on Monday.”

Harvey nodded and walked along the long corridor to the backdoor. There indeed was a cab parked across the street. As soon as he exited the building, the backseat door opened and Mike stepped out of the car.

“I thought Simon advised you not to come.”, he smiled.

“First of all, nobody knows I’m here but Jessica.”, Mike smiled back, motioning for Harvey to step into the car. “Second of all, I’ve never been good at taking advice.”

They both sat in the car and buckled up.

“Where to ?”, the driver asked impatiently.

“Oh, uh, I need to go home and finally get some work done, you ?”, Harvey replied.

“I was thinking I could crash at your place…”, Mike pointed at a duffle bag.

“Yeah, ok.”, Harvey smiled and gave his address to the driver.

 

“I’m going to take a shower”, Harvey said, taking off his coat. “I’m probably not going to sleep at all, but feel free to, uh, go to bed.”

He looked at the clock, which informed him that he was supposed to be in court in 8 hours. Only 8 hours to review his case and come up with a defense strategy.

“I’ll stay with you.”, Mike smiled. “I promise not to disturb you.”

Harvey nodded and disappeared in his bedroom.

Mike took off his shoes and changed into a t-shirt and sweatpants. He was exhausted and needed some sleep but he didn’t know where he was supposed to ‘ _go to bed_ ’ : the guestroom or Harvey’s bed ? He didn’t want to ask, too afraid of what Harvey might reply.

He grabbed his iPad from his duffle bag and began to play some random game.

Harvey came back a little while later, dressed in a white t-shirt and black flannel pants. He was carrying a big stack of files and his laptop, which he set on the coffee table.

“Want a drink ?”, he asked, walking to the kitchen.

“What are you having ?”

“Coffee.”

“I’ll take a glass of water please.”, Mike replied, his eyes fixed on his game.

Harvey placed a glass of water and a coffee mug on the table and opened his computer.

“Ok.”, he sighed, rubbing his face.

 

Mike opened his eyes and stretched loudly. Harvey was asleep on the other side of the couch, a file clutched to his chest. His computer was still on so Mike closed the lid after checking the time. 6:30. He grabbed his phone and set an alarm at 8. After carefully removing the file from Harvey’s hand and putting it back on the table, he unfolded a blanket and lay down next to him, burying his face in Harvey’s neck.

 

 

“Oh my God what time is it ?”, Harvey exclaimed, jumping on the couch.

“It’s 8.”, Mike mumbled. “Cool down.”

Harvey exhaled.

“Sorry.”, he chuckled and left the couch, pulling up the comforter on Mike’s sleep warm body.

He quickly piled up his files and computer and went to the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee.

He looked at the couch where Mike was already back to sleep and realized how close to each other they had slept. The first thing that had come to his mind when he had heard the alarm had been the time, not why his arms were wrapped around Mike. It felt so natural. So familiar. It would be so easy to just forget about the Miami kiss and carry on with their relationship like nothing happened. Things were so good between them before the incident… Well, for him at least. Maybe Mike hadn’t been feeling the same.

He shook his head and headed towards his bedroom.

 

 

Mike woke up feeling warm and rested. He opened his eyes and sat up. A quick scan of his surroundings told him Harvey was gone. There was a note on the coffee table.

“Morning,

I have no idea how long this is going to take, make yourself at home.

Harvey”

Mike stretched and winced when his back cracked loudly.

He dragged himself from the couch and grabbed Harvey’s cup from the sink.

He was about to turn on the coffee machine when the home phone rang.

He cleared this throat and picked it up.

“’Lo ?”

“Did I wake you up sweetheart ?”

“Oh hi Helena, this is Mike.”

“Sorry Mike.”, Helena chuckled. “How are you ?”

“I’m good, thanks, you ?”

“I’m good, thank you. I tried to call Harvey but I think his cell phone is off.”

“He’s in court, he must have turned it off.”, Mike replied, stifling a yawn. “Is there anything I can help you with ?”

“I invited him for dinner tonight and I wanted to check if it was still ok for him.”, Helena replied. “You’re welcome to come along.”

“I’d love to.”, Mike smiled. “But I don’t think Harvey would agree. We’re… uh, on a break or something.”

Helena laughed.

“You’re on a break and you’re in his apartment ?”, she asked.

“Long story…”, Mike sighed. “But I’ll tell him you called.”

“Alright. Let him know I invited you, ok ?”

“Yeah, ok.”, Mike replied. “Have a great day.”

“You too Mike.”

 

 

“Oh my God, Mist-, _Harvey_ , you destroyed them !”, Tom beamed when he and Harvey left the courthouse.

“I didn’t _destroy_ them, Tom.”, Harvey chuckled. “I barely managed to buy us some much needed time.”

“No, no, you should have seen yourself ! You were incredible !”

“Well then it’s a miracle considering I only had a few hours of sleep.”

“I know.”, Tom said with a mischievous smile. “I’ve seen the pictures.”

Harvey rolled his eyes.

“How’s Mike doing ?”, Tom asked. “You know, I never believed the rumors about you two breaking up.”

Harvey just hummed and pulled his phone out of his pocket to text Ray.

“Do you need a ride home ?”, he asked.

“Nah, I’m meeting my girlfriend for lunch right around the corner, but thank you.”, Tom replied.

“Ok then, have a great weekend.”, Harvey smiled.

“You too Harvey, and say hi to Mike.”, he winked.

“I will.”, Harvey said to himself since Tom had already crossed the street.

He noticed the three voicemails from his Mom and called her back.

“Good morning sweetheart.”, she said when she picked up.

“Hey Mom. How are you ?”

“I’m good. Done with court ?”, she asked.

“How did you know ?”

“I had the pleasure of speaking with Mike this morning when I called your apartment.”, she replied and Harvey could picture the grin she was definitely sporting. “I invited him to dinner. Is it still ok for you ?”

“You invited him without asking me ?”, Harvey asked, dodging her question.

“Is that a problem ?”

“Mike and I are not… I mean, we’re-“

“On a break ?”, she replied. “I know, Mike told me.”

“Then why did you invite him ?”

“Why is he staying at your place ?”

“It’s a long story.”, Harvey sighed.

“Mike said the same thing.”, she chuckled. “So ?”

“So what Mum ?”

“Are you still coming tonight and are you coming with Mike ?”

“I’m still coming but I don’t know about Mike.”

Helena sighed loudly.

“Harvey, sweetheart, you need to ease up.”, she said. “I’ll be expecting you _and Mike_ at 8.”

“See you tonight.”, Harvey said before hanging up.

Ray pulled over in front of him at that moment.

 

When Harvey entered his condo a half hour later, music was blasting from the living room and Mike was nowhere to be seen.

He dropped his briefcase on the floor and toed off his shoes before walking to his bedroom. Steam was coming out of the bathroom and Mike was [singing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI_0HIz_4JY) in the shower.

“ _Living la dolce vitaaaaaa_

_Life couldn’t get much sweeteeeer_

_Don’t you give me a reeeeaaaason_

_That it’s not the right season_

_Babe, I love you a lot_

_I’ll give you all I’ve got_

_Yeah, you know that it’s truuuue_

_I’ve been saving all my summers for you…_ ”

Harvey giggled and changed into more comfortable clothes.

“Fuck Harvey !”, Mike screamed in surprise when he stepped out of the bathroom, naked and dripping.

“Don’t you wanna dry yourself first ?”, Harvey smirked.

“Ha ha ha.”, Mike rolled his eyes.

“You know, when I said _make yourself at home_ , I didn’t mean _feel free to ruin my carpet_.”, Harvey joked, pointing at the wet spots under Mike’s feet.

“I couldn’t find a towel.”, Mike blushed.

Harvey opened a drawer and grabbed a fresh towel, which he threw in Mike’s direction.

“Thanks.”

“My Mum said she talked to you this morning.”

“Oh yeah, she called your home phone.”, Mike replied, wrapping the towel around his waist. “She wanted to,-“

“I know.”, Harvey cut him. “She told me she invited you.”

“Yeah.”, Mike replied. “I told her you’d probably want to go on your own, though.”

Harvey studied him for a moment and sighed before leaving the room.

“How did it go in court ?”, Mike called.

“Bought us a ticket for the next round.”, Harvey replied lowering the volume on the iPod dock. “Hungry ?”

“Starving.”, Mike replied.

 

An hour later, they were lazily stretched on each side of the sofa, eating pizza and watching a movie.

“Do you want to have dinner at my Mum’s tonight ?”, Harvey asked, grabbing another slice.

Mike straightened himself and wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin.

“Um, sure ?”, he replied.

“Ok.”, Harvey said an took a bite of pizza.

Mike frowned.

“Why are you asking me ?”, he asked.

“Because my Mum invited you.”

“Do you want me to go ?”

“It’s not up to me to decide.”

Mike sighed and got up.

“Seriously, Harvey, what do you want me to do ?”, he snapped. “I’ll go if you want me to go but I won’t go if you’re going to freak out about it.”

“Freak out ?”, Harvey huffed. “ _She_ invited you. I’m just asking if you plan on going.”

“You know what, Harvey ? I’ve had enough with all… this.”, Mike said, gesturing around the room. “What are we doing ? What _are_ we ? And don’t fucking say _friends_ !”

Harvey looked taken aback by the sudden outburst. He gulped and looked away.

“I don’t know.”, he replied. “I don’t know, Mike.”

“Well, I’m tired of trying to figure out what you want or don’t want.”, Mike said, tying up his shoes.

“Where are you going ?”, Harvey asked, getting up from the couch.

“Home.”, Mike replied.

“Stay.”, Harvey almost whispered. “Please.”

Mike looked up from his shoes.

“Why, Harvey ?”, he asked. “I’m not sure we’re on the same page anymore. I know what I want.”, he added, grabbing his duffle bag. “You clearly don’t.”

Harvey opened his mouth to speak but Mike cut him.

“It’s ok.”, he said. “I know I fucked up and you should probably not forgive me. I just can’t be friends with you.”

“I don’t want to be friends with you either.”, Harvey said, taking a step forward.

“Then that’s settled.”, Mike concluded.

“No, Mike.”, Harvey pleaded. “Please stay. I want you to come to my Mum’s with me.”

“And then ?”

Harvey chewed the inside of his cheek and rubbed his forehead.

“Then we’ll talk about our… situation.”, he replied. “Please, stay.”

Mike licked his lips and tightened his grip around the handle of his bag. He wanted to stay, _badly_. He wanted to kiss Harvey and feel his body shudder under his touch. He wanted to hear Harvey whisper praises in his ear. He wanted to hear him say that everything was going to be alright. That he still loved him.

“Ok.”, he conceded. “Ok, I’ll go with you.”

“Thank you.”, Harvey swallowed thickly. “I’m going to take a quick nap, I’m exhausted.”

“I’ll be on the balcony.”, Mike replied, taking out a pen and paper from his bag.

 

They arrived at Helena’s at 10 to 8. Ellen’s car and another car were already parked in front of the house.

They knocked and Ellen’s husband opened the door.

“Hey.”, he smiled.

“How are you ?”, Harvey smiled back and pulled him into a hug.

“Good.”, Antony replied. “You must be Mike.”, he smiled, shaking Mike’s hand. “I’m Antony, Ellen’s husband.”

“Nice to meet you Antony.”, Mike smiled back.

“Come in.”, Antony said, closing the door behind them.

“There’s a car parked right behind yours, whose is it ?”, Harvey asked, hanging his coat in the entryway.

“You’ll have to ask your mother.”, Antony replied, visibly embarrassed.

Harvey frowned and stepped in the living room.

Ellen and Helena were showing a photo album to a man he didn’t know. He was well dressed and quite handsome, probably in his late 60’s.

“Harvey.”, Helena smiled and she got up from her seat to hug him.

“I’m glad you came, Mike.”, she smiled knowingly and hugged him too.

She cleared her throat.

“Harvey, Mike, let me introduce you to Peter.”, she said, rubbing her hands together nervously. “Peter, this is my son Harvey and his, um, _friend ?_ , Mike.”

“Mike is my partner.”, Harvey corrected rather sharply.

Mike’s heart fluttered at the word.

“And you are ?”, Harvey asked to Peter.

The man got up and opened his mouth to speak but Helena stepped in.

“Peter is my partner.”, she blushed.

“Your what ?”, Harvey chocked.

“This is why I wanted you all to come tonight, so you could meet him.”

Harvey huffed.

“Excuse me for a minute.”, he said, leaving the room.

He grabbed his coat and stepped outside where Paul and Donna were parking their car.

“Hey !”, Paul cheered.

“Hey.”, Harvey replied somberly.

“What ?”, Donna asked teasingly. “Already sulking ?”

“Mum has brought us in to introduce her new boyfriend.”, he replied.

“Oh”, Paul said.

“Get in, see for yourself.”, Harvey sighed.

Ellen opened the door for Paul and Donna and joined Harvey under the canopy.

“Harvey.”, she said, placing a hand on his forearm.

“What didn’t she tell us ?”

“She just did.”, Ellen replied.

“You know what I mean, El.”, Harvey rolled his eyes.

“I knew.”, she said. “Mum told me two months ago.”

“Two months ago ?”, Harvey exclaimed.

“She didn’t want to upset you.”, Ellen tried to calm him down. “She told us when she felt it had gotten serious enough and then she never got around to telling you.”

“Bullshit !”, Harvey snapped. “She had plenty of occasions to tell me !”

“Harvey…”, Ellen said with a pointed look. “She knew you’d overreact, she was scared to tell you.”

“So everybody knew but me ?”

“Yes.”, Ellen sighed.

“Great.”, Harvey laughed nervously.

“Come on, Harvey, let’s go back inside.”, she said. “You don’t want to leave Mike alone in the lion’s den, do you ? Beside, I’m 37 and you’re 43, you’re supposed to be the big boy here.”, she added with a teasing smile.

“I know.”, Harvey smiled apologetically.

They went back inside the house and in the living room where Paul was showing a video of last night’s show to Peter and Helena.

“Just like the Beatles…”, Peter said, smiling at Mike.

“Well, not really.”, Mike blushed. “We’re still very new.”

“Oh don’t be modest Mike.”, Helena ordered, gently slapping Mike’s arm.

She looked at Harvey with a questioning look and Harvey smiled.

“Oh !”, Paul exclaimed. “I almost forgot !”

He walked to the entryway to search for something and came back with a folded newspaper.

“Look who’s on the cover of the New York Times !”, he beamed, handing the newspaper to Harvey.

At the bottom of the page was a small picture of him punching the paparazzo with the title “High profile attorney punches photographer in the face”.

Harvey sighed loudly and handed the paper to Mike who smiled proudly.

The newspaper was passed around the room.

“If I ever thought one of my sons would get arrested, I would have bet on Paul, not you.”, Helena said with an angry pout.

“Hey !”, Paul exclaimed, feigning offence.

“The guy’s not suing you ?”, Ellen asked, her eyes scanning the article.

“No, my lawyer told him Mike and I would ask for a restraining order against him.”, Harvey explained, somewhat embarrassed. “Which meant the guy wouldn’t be able to do his job anymore.”

“Clever.”, Peter said with a wink.

“Peter is also a lawyer.”, Helena said with a proud smile.

Harvey raised an eyebrow.

“Here in New York ?”, he asked.

“Yes, I’m name partner at Andrews & Kurth.”, Peter replied.

“Oh so you’re the famous Peter Andrews…”, Harvey said with a courteous nod.

“Well, I don’t know about famous.”, Peter laughed softly. “I’ve been around for a long time, which could probably explain it.”

“You know what was the first question Peter asked me when we met ?”, Helena smiled at Harvey. “He asked me if I was related to Harvey Specter. Seems like you’re quite famous yourself.”

“Famous ? He’s a superstar.”, Paul teased.

“You’re jealous.”, Harvey smirked before turning back to Peter. “I’ve heard you were opening a subsidiary in Mia-“, Harvey began to say but stopped dead in his tracks. “Oh ok, now I get it.”, he nodded and looked at Helena.

“Well.”, she said, her cheeks reddening. “Let’s all move to the dining room, dinner’s ready.”, she said, gesturing towards the other room.

 

 

“No, no, no, look.”, Peter laughed. “That’s not at all what happened.”

“That’s what we learn at Harvard.”, Harvey said, holding up a hand. “I was defense attorney at mock trial with this case.”

“Then I’m sorry to disappoint you, but that’s not how we won.”, Peter smiled. “They like to fabricate things to make the job look more appealing. Truth is a case like this only handed to you once or maybe twice in a career.”

They were eating dessert and, surprisingly, Peter and Harvey were chatting like old friend. They had spent the whole meal talking about old cases and Harvey’s impressively quick climb from associate to name partner.

Mike and Donna had helped Helena with the serving and Paul was holding a heated debate with Antony about national security.  

Helena started piling up the empty dessert plates.

“So are you all coming for Christmas Eve ?”, she asked, tapping her glass with a spoon to get everyone’s attention. “Geraldine is coming over and I need to know if you’re all coming to start my shopping list.”

“You’re not cooking, Mum, it’s too much work.”, Ellen objected.

“Yes I am, Ellen, that’s what I like most about Christmas.”, Helena replied.

“Come on Mum.”, Ellen started counting on her fingers. “If everybody comes that’s 13 people !”

“I can cook for 13 people and I will.”, Helena smiled. “So who’s coming ?”

Paul raised his hand grabbed Donna’s to lift it up.

“Mike ?”, Helena asked. “Are you going to visit your family ?”

“I, uh, um”, Mike blushed. “I don’t have any family.”, he smiled awkwardly.

Harvey placed a hand on Mike’s thigh and gently squeezed it.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.”, Helena apologized looking down. “I would be thrilled to have you with us.”

“It’s ok.”, Mike gulped and looked at Harvey inquiringly.

Harvey smiled and nodded.

“I’d love to come.”, Mike replied with a broad smile.

“Great !”, Helena clapped her hands in contempt.

“We’ll spend Christmas Eve here, Mum, but we’re at Antony’s parents the next day for lunch.”, Ellen said.

“Ok !”, Helena smiled.

 

 

They all left the house after a cup of coffee and a brainstorming session to help Helena set up a menu.

“I have to go back to Toronto to pack up more stuff and I have a couple of things to sort out.”, Mike said, buckling his seatbelt.

“When are you flying back ?”, Harvey asked.

“Tomorrow I guess.”, Mike replied. “Christmas is in 4 days.”

“You haven’t bought your tickets yet ?”

“No, I wasn’t sure about… what I was going to do after the MTV show.”, Mike replied, fidgeting on his seat.

They were going to have to talk. Harvey had introduced him as his _partner_ and Mike needed to know if it was just because he disliked the word “friend” or if he had meant it.

“You and Peter seemed to get along fine.”, he said, changing the subject.

“He’s a nice guy.” Harvey admitted. “Mum could have done worse.”

“You _like_ him.”, Mike smiled teasingly.

Harvey rolled his eyes.

“I’m sorry about last night at the club.”, he said. “I’m surprised Simon hasn’t already called to yell at me.”

“He was worried about you, though he called it bad publicity. He says we should have security.”

“You should. Those fuckers are dangerous.”

Mike nodded and looked outside the window.

 

“Can we talk now ?”, Mike asked, dropping his coat on the couch in Harvey’s apartement.

Though he was getting used to the silent treatment, not knowing where he stood with Harvey was killing him.

Harvey took a deep breath and walked towards the kitchen.

“Want a drink ?”, he asked casually, ignoring Mike’s question.

“Will I need it ?”

“I don’t know. Do you ? Need it ?”

“I think so.”, Mike replied, crashing onto the couch.

Harvey filled up two tumblers of scotch and set them on the coffee table before sitting down on the armchair.

“So ?”, he asked, refusing to meet Mike’s pleading eyes.

“Do I start ?”, Mike asked, nervously rubbing his trembling hands on his thighs.

“Um, I don’t know.”, Harvey replied. “But uh, you seemed ready to talk.”

“Ok, ok, I’ll start.”, Mike almost whispered, nodding his head as if to convince himself that he was indeed ready to talk.

He emptied his glass in one long gulp and took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry for what I did and I regret it.”, he said, his wet eyes focused on Harvey. “I… I’m sorry I hurt you and… I feel bad, really bad.”, he chocked as tears started to fall down. “I’m sorry.”, he sniffed, wiping them away with his sleeve. “I didn’t want to cry, I know it’s pathetic because _you_ should be the one crying, not me.”, he cleared his throat and straightened himself. “I love you and I know I broke your trust but I swear I’ll never ever do it again and I’m willing to do everything it takes to get your trust and love back.”

“You’ve always had my love.”, Harvey replied, his fingers tightening around the bottom of his glass.

“But I don’t have your trust.”, Mike stated, more tears falling down.

Harvey was trying his hardest to keep a straight face, he knew that once the floodgates would open, there was no turning back. He couldn’t flinch now. Not before they had each spilled their guts. Apparently, Mike could both cry _and_ spill his guts at the same time.

“No you don’t.”, Harvey replied. “But I’m not saying I’ll never give it back.”

Mike nodded and rubbed his hands together.

“What are we until then ?”, he asked.

Harvey looked away. Before answering that question, which he already knew the answer to, he needed to tell Mike his side of the story.

“I trust people too easily.”, he said, getting up and walking to the window. “I have learned to distrust people at work. I have learned to assume that people are lying or trying to hide something, in order to be prepared.”, he explained. “But I’ve always refused to apply that to my personal life, no matter what it could cost me. I think it’s sad to pass on great opportunities because you’re too suspicious. And always being on your guard can be really exhausting.”, he stopped and closed his eyes. “I trust people. I have faith in human beings, generally. I… I thought the hardest part about dating someone like you would be being away from them. It never even crossed my mind that I should worry about cheating.”, he scoffed. “Which is completely stupid given my record in that department.”, he turned around to face Mike. “I trusted you. Maybe that was stupid or too soon, I don’t know.”

He sat back in chair and took a sip of scotch.

“Anyway.”, he said. “I don’t want you to hate yourself for what you did. It happened. I wouldn’t say I’ve made my peace with it, not _yet_ , but I will. I love you and I can’t imagine my life without you.”, he sighed and Mike whimpered, covering his face with his hands. “Again, it could be the stupidest mistake I’ll ever make, but I don’t want to lose you. I _will_ get over it. I miss you.”, he concluded and bit his bottom lip to fight the tears.

“I miss you too, Harvey…”, Mike cried. “So much.”

He got up and threw himself at Harvey’s feet.

“I’m so s-orr-y.”, he chocked, resting his head on Harvey’s thigh.

Harvey wrapped his arms around his shoulders and started stroking his back, as two hot tears ran down his cheeks.

“It’s ok.”, he gulped. “Stop crying, please.”

Mike sniffed and looked up. _Kicked puppy_ , he thought. Donna was right.

“I hate to see you cry.”, Harvey said with a soft smile and he wiped a couple of tears with his thumb. “Let’s go to bed. It’s been a long day.”

Mike nodded and stood up. Harvey grabbed his hand and they walked to the bedroom.

 

When Harvey got out of the bathroom after taking a quick shower and brushing his teeth, Mike was lying on Harvey’s side of the bed, his back turned to Harvey and the rest of the room.

“You okay ?”, Harvey whispered in case he was asleep.

He saw Mike’s head slowly bob up and down on his pillow and he put on a pair of sweatpants before sitting down on the bed.

“Harvey ?”, Mike’s voiced cracked a little bit.

“Yes.”

“Do you remember our first kiss ?”

“Of course.”, Harvey chuckled. “It’s not like it was 15 years ago.”

“I know but do you really remember it ?”

“What do you mean ?”, Harvey asked, shifting closer to Mike, who still hadn’t turned around.

“Do you remember what it felt like ? What you thought when that it happened ?”

“I think I do.”, Harvey smiled. “Why ?”

“And do you remember our last kiss ?”, Mike sighed.

He finally rolled on his back tilted his head up to face Harvey who was now sitting right next to him, his back resting on the headboard.

“It must have been at the airport in LA.”, Harvey replied. “Almost a week ago.”

“6 days ago.”, Mike sniffed. “And then I screwed up.”

Harvey pursed his lips. He knew exactly where Mike was going with this. “At least _I_ haven’t kissed anyone since.” was at the tip of his tongue, threatening to come out and ruin whatever level of peace they had barely managed to reach. He bit his tongue and exhaled deeply.

“We should stop talking about it, Mike.”, he said. “We’ve said what we had to say and talking about it only makes it worse.”

“But you hum… why won’t you touch me or kiss me ?”, Mike asked, getting up on his knees. “You said you missed me but you haven’t, -“

Harvey captured his hands, pulled him and Mike stumbled forward and fell into his hug.

“Shut up.”, he whispered playfully in Mike’s ear.

Mike chuckled and moved from his awkward position to straddle Harvey’s lap.

They stayed like this for a moment, fingers entwined and looking into each other’s eyes, until Mike licked his dry and swollen lips and put them on top of Harvey’s. They both closed their eyes.

Just like the day they had first kissed on that sidewalk in front of the FairyTale Lounge, Harvey’s lips felt warm and soft. They felt right. Now they felt _home_. Though they had spent more than 6 days without kissing in the past 3 months, this time it had felt longer. Harder.

And Mike had come so close to never kissing Harvey again that feeling Harvey’s lips parting and allowing access to his tongue made his heart explode in a million pieces of gold, glass, cotton candy and snowflakes.

Sadness, victory, shame, love, longing, anticipation, anxiety… Mike suddenly felt overwhelmed with all the things he had been feeling in the past week, and Harvey must have sensed it because he moved his hands up from Mike’s back to cradle his face.

They both stopped breathing when their eyes met, seizing the importance of the moment, and resumed the slow passion-filled kiss.

Just like the day they had first kissed on the sidewalk, kissing meant agreeing on something. It meant opening a door. It meant sharing. It meant _I want more but I’m afraid_. All over again.

“Let’s get some sleep.”, Harvey whispered breathlessly against Mike’s lips.

Mike whimpered, his ass pressing down firmly on the growing bulge in Harvey’s pants. 

" _Sleep_ _._ ”, Harvey repeated, fighting the urge to lift his hips to meet Mike’s thrust.

Mike tried a sad pout but Harvey laughed it off and gently pushed him from his lap.

“You might want to blow your nose at some point before going to sleep, though.”, he said, pointing at a box of tissues on the bedside table.

“Let me guess.”, Mike grinned, sticking out his tongue to lick the snot running towards his mouth. “I’m disgusting ?”

“Don’t do that.”, Harvey ordered with a disgusted look.

He grabbed the box of tissues and threw it on the bed.

 

 

 

“No no no no no”, Donna rushed to her little boy’s side. “No pumpkin, don’t touch Uncle Harvey’s things. These are very important files, okay ?”

The little boy pouted and sat back down on the couch.

“These are your things.”, she said, pointing at a thin stack of sheets of papers and a box of crayons.

“I’m bored, Mummy !”, the little boy whined. “I want to go home !”

“I know, Eli, but Mummy’s not done yet.”, she said, reaching down to stroke her son’s cheek. “I won’t be long, I promise.”

Eli shrugged and grabbed a crayon.

“Hey pumpkin.”, Harvey smiled when he entered his office after an afternoon spent in court.

“Daddyyyyyyyy !”, the little boy squealed.

Donna grinned.

“I’m Uncle Harvey, sorry buddy.”, Harvey smiled apologetically. “What are you drawing ? Is that a tree ?”

“No.”, the little boy shook his head. “It’s a dog.”

“Oh.”, Harvey chuckled and walked to his desk.

“How did it go ?”, Donna asked, sitting down in the chair across from him.

“We won.”, Harvey smiled proudly. “But they’re going to appeal.”

“They always do.”, she sighed. “When is Mike landing ?”

“Probably tomorrow morning.”, Harvey replied, looking at his phone. “He just texted me. His jet is stuck in Moscow because of a snow storm.”

“How long is he staying this time ?”

“Two weeks.”, Harvey smiled. “I was expecting him tonight but tomorrow’s fine… I haven’t seen him in almost a month, I guess I can wait 12 more hours.”

“Has it really been a month ?”

“Exactly three weeks and a half.”

“Oh ! If he’s staying two weeks that means that he’s going to be there for Eli’s 4th birthday party !”, she exclaimed. “You heard that, pumpkin ?”, she asked, turning around to face her son. “Uncle Mike’s going to be at your birthday party next weekend !”

“Yeaahhh !”, Eli’s face lit up. “Where’s he ?”

“He’s in Russia but he’s coming back tomorrow.”, Donna replied with a smile.

“Coooool !”

“You should go home, Donna.”, Harvey said, opening a file. “We’ll do the report on Monday, I’m exhausted.”

“I’m tired too but I want to get this over with before the weekend. Come on.”, Donna tapped her pen on her clipboard. “One hour and we’re done.”

“Fine…”, Harvey sighed and began listing the documents they needed to put together for the report.

 

An hour and a half and two trips to the bathroom for Eli later, they were done.

“God my back.”, Harvey grimaced, cracking his neck. “I’m getting old.”

“Uncle Mike is not old.”, Eli remarked as he was finishing the contour of what looked like a flower (but probably wasn’t).

“No he’s not.”, Harvey chuckled. “Let’s go home now.”

“Come on pumpkin, put the papers and pens back on Mummy’s desk please.”, Donna requested. “Would you and Mike have dinner with us tomorrow ?”, she asked to Harvey.

“Sure.”, Harvey replied, sliding his computer into his briefcase. “See you tomorrow then ?”

“Yep.”, Donna smiled and hugged him goodbye.

 

Ray dropped Harvey in front of his building an hour later. Harvey had almost fallen asleep during the long ride home, the New York traffic was always pretty heavy on Friday nights.

Once in the elevator, he closed his eyes and exhaled loudly.

Mike and him had moved into a new apartment together a year ago, in a building with high security services. Their new place was a two-floor penthouse with a great view on Central Park. It had 3 bedrooms, a recording studio and a huge terrace. Mike had been on tour for most of the time since they had moved in and he really wanted to take part in the decorating process so their place was still pretty much a work in progress.

In just four years, Mike and The Harmony had gone from promising newcomers to third biggest selling band of all times behind the Beatles and U2. Their 5th album had sold a million digital copies in 3 days and their 36-date tour had been sold out in 4 days. They had won a thousand of awards and, in addition to writing most of the band’s material, Mike now wrote for other artists.

It had taken some time for Harvey to fully trust Mike again and they had agreed he wouldn’t visit him on tour in order to keep his work and their relationship separate. Mike flew from wherever in the world he was to New York every chance he got. They had decided to keep a low profile, no more public appearance together, no more fancy t-shirt, no talking about Harvey or their relationship in interviews. The paparazzi would sometimes show up at their building but security would quickly send them away.

Mike couldn’t take a step without his bodyguard so they rented an apartment in their building for him to stay when Mike was in New York. He also had an annoying assistant calling him 20 times a day when he was supposed to be on “vacation”, and that always got on Harvey’s nerves.

But things were very good between them. They often traveled to fantastic places to enjoy each other’s company outside of New York and hardly ever fought (if not for Mike’s _disgusting_ habits).

Harvey slid his keycard into the security slot and the door unlocked.

The apartment was dark and as he always did, Harvey dropped his briefcase on the floor in the hall and went directly to the living room to check the answering machine. Regularly, Mike would call their landline and leave a message for when Harvey got home. Sometimes he would sing something, sometimes he would just talk about his day or tell him a particular story.

When Harvey reached the machine, his eyes were drawn to the floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and suddenly the outdoor lamps went up. Harvey squinted his eyes to adjust to the light and he saw a rather big group of people gathered on the terrace.

Donna opened the sliding door and grinned.

“Surprise !”, he heard the people yell.

“What the hell ?”, Harvey laughed, completely dumbfounded to find his beloved assistant and best friend at his place barely an hour after having left her in his office.

She motioned for him to step outside and he finally got to have a proper look at the people waiting for him.

“Oh my God Mum, what are you doing here ?”, he laughed, hugging Helena.

“It’s good to see you sweetheart.”, she smiled into the hug.

“Hey Peter.”, he smiled and shook the man’s hand.

“Shhhh Uncle Harvey, it’s a surprise !”, Eli whispered, a finger pressed to his lips.

“It was a surprise for Uncle Harvey, pumpkin.”, Paul giggled. “We can talk now.”

“Neal you bastard !”, Harvey exclaimed. “You said you were on holidays in France !”

Neal grinned and hugged him.

“What are you all doing here anyway ?”, Harvey laughed again, hugging Ellen. “It’s not my birthday and I’m pretty sure you’re not here to celebrate my big win in court today.”

“No you’re right.”, Ellen chuckled.

“Hey Ben ! You came all the way from LA ?”

“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”, Ben replied with a knowing wink.

“Miss _what_ ?”, Harvey asked, totally clueless.

“Oh, you’ll know soon enough.”, Donna deadpanned.

“And who the hell let you all in ? It’s supposed to be a secured building.”, Harvey asked.

“One of the owners of the place.”, a familiar voice replied from behind him.

Harvey turned around and found Mike standing in the doorway, a stupid grin plastered on his face.

“You’re not in Russia…”, Harvey smiled as Mike walked towards him.

“Nope.”, Mike confirmed, pulling him into a kiss.

“Sneaky bastard.”, Harvey whispered with a smile.

“It’s a surprise for Uncle Harvey !”, Eli exclaimed, wrapping his arms around Mike’s leg.

“Yes it is, pumpkin.”, Mike laughed softly as he ruffled the little boy’s hair.

“And what is that all about ?”, Harvey asked.

Mike cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

“Well, I’ve gathered all your family and friends because, um, I’m _hoping_ that will have something to celebrate after uh, this.”

Mike got down on one knee and looked up at Harvey, cheeks flushed and lips pursed anxiously.

“Harvey Specter.”, he gulped. “Will you marry me ?”

The little assembly went still and Harvey held his hand before his mouth in total disbelief.

“But I thought you were against marriage ?”, he frowned. “We’ve talked about it like a hundred times !”

“Really Harvey ?”, Mike rolled his eyes as a quiet laughter began to rise around them. “This is your answer ?”

“No, I mean, no it’s not my answer but you’ve caught me completely off guard.”, Harvey giggled.

“That’s the whole point of a surprise.”, Mike sighed dramatically. “So ?”, he asked, getting annoyed. “My knee is killing me.”, he mumbled.

“Yes !”, Harvey exclaimed with a grin.

“This is your answer ?”, Mike asked, just to be sure.

“Yes, it’s my answer, I want to marry you.”, Harvey smiled shyly.

Mike stood back up and kissed him.

“Mummy !!”, Eli squealed. “He said yes !”

“I know pumpkin, I heard it.”, Donna replied and then she discreetly wiped her eyes. “I’m _not_ crying.”, she scolded at Paul who was making fun of her.

“I think that calls for a celebration !”, Paul interrupted the moment, waving a cool bottle of champagne.

 

 

“I love you so much.”, Harvey whispered in Mike’s ear when they were finally laying down in bed early the next morning. “It was a very nice surprise.”, he added, pressing an open mouthed kiss under Mike’s ear.

Mike shivered and turned his head to face his soon-to-be husband.

“I can’t believe we’re getting married.”, he grinned. “When do you wanna do it ?”

“You’re asking _me_ ?”, Harvey laughed.

“Harvey.”, Mike said in a serious voice and he cupped Harvey’s cheek. “I’ve decided to take a break from the band.”

“What ?”

Mike nodded with a smile.

“Yeah.”, he said. “We’ve been touring almost non-stop for four years, I need a break. I’ve talked about it with Tess and the newlyweds and we all agree on a break. Plus, my inspiration has ran dry, I need new experiences.”

“Is that all ?”, Harvey asked teasingly.

“Yes, pretty much.”, Mike replied with a mischievous smile.

Harvey gave Mike’s ass a gentle slap before pulling him into a kiss.

“This keeps getting better and better.”, he smiled. “Any other great project I should know about ?"

“You know what ?”, Mike asked. “Actually I’m glad you asked. Because I was thinking of turning one of the guestrooms into a nursery.”

“Are you messing with me ?”, Harvey asked.

Mike raised his eyebrows teasingly and moved to straddle Harvey’s lap.

“I’m not.”, he replied in stern voice. “And if you’re on board with the idea, I think we should start making those babies.”

“You do know that’s not actu-“, Harvey began to say but Mike’s mouth on his cut his train of thought.

“Shut up and fuck me baby.”, Mike whispered against his lips.

 

THE END


End file.
